With Changes Come Chances
by Lorze The Brookes
Summary: When a bandit attack in early 200AD forces two children to flee, no one could have predicted the outcome... R&R or else, rewritten all the chapters that needed it. LXOC, OCSSX. Rated k plus to be safe. Chap 12 finally up! Intelligent flames only.
1. Enter The Characters

_**With Changes Come Chances**_

**DISCLAIMER: **If I owned the game, would I bother to write fanfictions about it? Me thinks not. Na Mei(1) and Sying Long(2), I own. But that's it.

**A/N:** Just another random idea, which I admittedly thought up when I was re-reading Destiny's Saga (Yume Takamiya). Oh, and I think Sun Quan is an idiot, so Sun Ce is still alive and kickin'. And everyone is in their DW5 outfits. Also, I rewrote a large part of this chapter, because the original was basically crap.

**Summary:** When a bandit attack forces two children to run away, no-one could have predicted the outcome.

* * *

"Na! Sying! Come on in, it's getting dark!"

Following reluctant moans, the two twins came inside. The first, Na Mei, was an attractive young girl of only 14. She had shoulder length, black hair, and her left eye was blue, the other brown. The second, Sying Long, looked almost identical to his sister (who was born only 10 minutes after he was) except his left eye was brown, with the right blue. From a distance, they looked the same; even their mother sometimes mixed them up.

Blinking in the sudden light of the candles, they quietly walked through the small house into the bedroom – the house was too small to allow for more than one, and the family were glad of it in the cold winter months. Their mother followed them, and began carefully folding up the clothes that the children dropped as they changed.

"Mother, I know we're kinda old for bedtime stories now, but can you tell us the legend?" Na asked as she snuggled under the covers. Their mother gave a soft chuckle as she bent over to place the folded clothes in a pile in the corner, but as she stood up, something out of the small window caught her eye.

"Na, Sying, the bandits are coming. Run!" The twins sat and stared at their mother for a split second, until what she had said settled in their minds. Throwing back the threadbare blankets, they took off out the back door and away over the dusty plains, spotted with dead and shrivelled shrubbery, to their agreed meeting place. Bandits were common in this part of China, so every house had a safe place to hide.

"I don't like this, Sying!" cried Na as she ran on past the little woodland area.

"I don't either, Na. But we've got to keep on running!"

The raven haired girl ran quite literally for her life, but was soon lagging behind her twin. She could hear the cries and whoops of the bandits, and something else she couldn't place. It wouldn't be until some time later she would recognise it as the sound of flames licking away at the walls of the house and slowly devouring her old life.

All of a sudden, Na Mei stumbled on an exposed tree root, and fell over. She scrambled back to her feet, and tried to run on, but she was exhausted. Any minute now, she expected to be brought down by the bandits that had unexpectedly changed her life with the stroke of a blade…

"Na!" Na looked up to see that her brother had slowed down to wait for her. He looked as exhausted as she felt, but Na suddenly noticed a movement behind him.

"Sying! Tiger!" She gasped. He whipped round just as the ferocious beast leapt, but managed to raise his arms in time to partially block the slash of claws. Gasping in shock and pain, Sying's legs suddenly buckled, and he collapsed onto the ground that was now splattered with his blood.

Na Mei drew level to her brother, and, without pausing to think, leapt at the tiger, and knocked it to the ground. The tiger was caught unawares, but slashed Na in the shoulder with a lightning fast reaction. She gasped in pain as the force of the blow knocked her over, but quickly rolled upright again, picking up a large rock in the process. With all her might, she swung it at the tiger's head. It connected with a bone-jarring thud, and the tiger fell down, dead.

She half smiled, before a stab of pain brought her back to the real world. Realising what she had just done, she collapsed and threw up.

"Na..." She span around to see Sying struggle into a seating position. From where she was, she could see that Sying's night clothes were saturated with blood – his blood. She felt light-headed... As she collapsed, she heard the sound of hoof prints, but then the darkness engulfed her.

* * *

Na Mei felt oddly warm and comfortable. Suspended in the pink fluffy clouds that represent the twilight zone of consciousness, she became aware of voices.

"How are they?" said a quiet voice.

"The girl will be alright. But we'll need to keep an eye on the boy. He lost a lot of blood." replied a different voice. Perhaps a medic?

"Where did you find them again?" said the first voice.

"In the plain, south of the city. It was quite dark, but I'm pretty certain I saw the girl kill a tiger with her bare hands!" This voice was different from the other two - it sounded younger.

"That's impressive, I grant you."

"Yes. I think they were running from some bandits. A house was on fire, but by the time I got there, a woman - their mother I think - was dead."

"Shame."

Na stopped paying attention to the conversation. Her mother was dead... Her house was burned down... Her brother was possibly seriously injured. And she had killed!

Reluctant to face the truth, Na Mei opened her eyes. She looked up to see two men talking to each other, and another sat quietly in the corner.

"Hey, you've woken up." The man who the first voice belonged to pushed past his companion, and walked over. He was dressed all in red - they all were - but he emitted a kind of aura that immediately put Na at ease. He had longish hair tied in a high ponytail, and a goatee.

"How are ya feeling?" Na tried to raise herself up onto her elbows, but her shoulder gave way, and she cried out in pain.

"Woah, take it easy. Tigers slash hard."

"You don't say..." she mumbled, biting her lip to stop the tears. A shadow of a smile crossed the man's face.

"What's your name?"

"Na Mei. My brother is Sying Long. Who are you?"

"Oh, sorry, I never introduced myself, did I? I am Sun Ce, ruler of Wu, and son of the Tiger of Jiang Dong -"

"- Don't forget The Little Conqueror -"

"This is Zhou Yu, the Wu strategist."

Na looked past Sun Ce at Zhou Yu. He had an almost feminine face, with long lashes and high cheekbones. He nodded to acknowledge his name, while Na pinned him as the second one to speak from before. Being a strategist explained his medical knowledge.

"And that is Lu Xun, Zhou Yu's novice. We're placing him in charge of you and your brother."

The young man sitting in the corner went a slight shade of red at being called a novice, but held his composure, and nodded, as Yu had done. He was wearing an almost pink shade of red, with a top that showed his stomach, and a hat with what looked like wings on the side. He was the one who brought them here, she was sure of it.

Just then, a messenger came through the door.

"My Lord Sun Ce, message from Lord Sun Quan. He wishes to see you immediately."

Sun Ce nodded.

"Come on, Zhou; let's go see what Quan wants." Ce turned to face again. "I'll talk to you later if I get the chance." he said, then walked out the door, closely followed by Yu. Xun suddenly looked awkward.

"Can I get you anything?" he said hesitantly.

There was a moan from the other side of the room, and Na knew that Sying was there with her.

"My brother; how is he?" she asked, fearing what the answer may be, but keeping her voice steady. Xun glanced over at the figure on the bed across the room, and Na could tell that it was quite serious.

"... We'll have to keep an eye on him... but you! A tiger is very hard to kill!" he said, swiftly changing the subject.

"Please don't remind me... I hate to think that I killed an innocent creature..."

"Have you ever thought of becoming a soldier? I mean, killing a tiger takes some skill. Did your parents teach you how to fight?" Na looked away from the young strategist. Lu Xun sensed that he had hit a raw nerve, and was about to change the subject again when Na spoke up.

"My father was killed when me and Sying were only small, or so my mother says. He went to fight, and that was the last we saw of him. I know some basics of fighting because of the frequent bandit attacks in our village. My mother always tried to protect us, but we saw anyway. And if what you said is true, then my mother is dead too..." Na trailed off, her gaze dropping to the ground.

"Oh, I am sorry, I didn't realise... Can I ask who your father was?" asked Xun carefully.

"My mother swore us to secrecy, but for some reason I feel I can trust you. His name was Lu Bu."

Lu Xun physically paled at the name. Although Lu Bu was before Xun's time, the very name still struck fear in him.

"Wh - Who was your mother?" Na turned to look at him, and saw how pale he was.

"Diao Chan. Why?"

"... I suggest that you tell no-one who your parents are. Lu Bu was an evil man. But the woman I saw... she didn't look like Diao Chan..."

"Mother changed over time. When father died, she stopped making an effort to look beautiful, and began doing menial tasks."

Lu Xun had slowly returned to his normal colour again.

"With your father being who he is, it's no wonder you are strong... you should become a fighter."

"Oh, but I am not strong! Or brave!"

"You are, you know. I saw you fight the tiger."

Na Mei was about to reply, when a gong rang out.

"Oh! That's the dinner gong. Do you want to eat in here?"

Na nodded absent-mindedly. She was deep in thought. So much had happened in such a short time! And now she was fighting material? What next? She was beginning to feel overwhelmed with all the things that happened in the last day or so; like nothing would surprise her. Lu Xun watched her for a minute. He didn't know why, but he was starting to like this pale young girl already… Shaking his head slightly, he spoke up, shaking Na out of her reverie.

"I'll go and ask the cooks to make us something then."

"Oh, you're eating with us?"

"It wouldn't look good if I left you just to eat, would it? You are, after all, in my care." he said, as he walked out the door.

Na watched him walk out, then sat up, taking care to not use her injured arm. When she was sat, she could see her brother.

He was pale, with a pinched look to his face, and was lying with his eyes closed and his lower arms wrapped in blood-soaked bandages.

"Sying?" Na called out. Sying Long opened his eyes to look at his sister.

"How are you feeling?"

"I've felt better... Na, you killed that tiger... you saved my life."

"You're my brother, I couldn't let you die. You're all I have left."

"What - you mean mother -" Na looked at the floor, and nodded silently. Sying looked at the floor as a sign of respect. Then he thought of something, and looked up at Na.

"I heard you talking to someone - who was it?"

"Lu Xun. He found us after the... tiger incident... and brought us here. Apparently I could train as a fighter."

"That's amazing! But - where _is_ here?"

"Oh, we are, I suppose, guests in the kingdom of Wu. The leader has already been to see us."

"Wow, we're getting a lot of attention, aren't we?"

"Apparently tigers are hard to kill. Oh, and Lu Xun said something else..."

"What?"

"To keep the identity of our parents secret. I'm not quite sure why, but I trust him."

Sying was silent for a minute or two before speaking up again.

"Na, I will recover. We told mother that we would protect each other. If you become a warrior, then so will I! And besides... I owe you one."

"No you don't, you're my brother. I swore to protect you, as well as you, me. You don't owe me anything."

"Even so, I won't feel right until I pay you back. But never mind that now; what did you do to your shoulder?"

"The tiger caught it before I… got it. It's fine if I don't move my arm."

At this point, Lu Xun walked back in the door, followed by three servants, each carrying a tray.

"I can see you're both feeling better now. Dig in!" And with a flourish, the servants removed the covers on the trays to reveal a rich, creamy soup with a delicious smell radiating from it, and warm, crusty buns. Lu Xun watched with some amusement the looks of wonder on their faces.

"All this - for us?" Na Mei gasped as a servant helped Sying sit up. Once everyone was settled, the servants excused themselves, and left.

As they ate, Na couldn't help thinking that things may turn out fine after all...

* * *

(1) - _Na Mei_ Graceful Plum Blossom

(2) - _Sying Long_ Dragon Star

If I got the definitions wrong, sorry, I got them from a Chinese name site.

**A/N:** Wow my longest ficcie yet. Please R&R, flames will be tolerated if they are intelligent. I want at least 1 review before I post the next chapter, requests and ideas welcomed. And who knows, I might even give the story a plot...

**A/N2:** Even after rewriting this chapter, I can't make that "Na, you saved my life" bit any less crappy. I apologise, and add that this chapter will almost definitely be rewritten again when I finish the story.


	2. A Legend?

_**With Changes Come Chances**_

_**Chapter 2**_

**DISCLAIMER:** See chapter 1

**A/N: **Yay, people actually like this ficlet! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you made me feel wanted… (wipes away a tear of joy) Aaaaaanyway, on to the story...

* * *

She was in a long, dark corridor. She didn't know how she got there, but she knew she had to move. She was wielding two slightly ovoid discs with blades protruding from the ends, attached to her hands in the same way as a shield, but it didn't hold off the sense of being watched. She was sure she wasn't alone.

A sudden movement from the shadows made her spin round... to find no-one there. A light shiver went up her spine, and she could feel the panic, lying in wait in the pit of her stomach.

Suddenly, she made up her mind. She spun round, and marched off up the corridor, where a glimmer of light suggested that something - a doorway? - was there.

She marched on and on, still listening for any sound of movement, but failing to hear anything. She reached the doorway, and put out a hand to open the door -

"Na… Na, wake up…"

Na Mei suddenly found herself wide awake on her bed, with a pleasant tingling feeling running through her injured shoulder. Taking care to not use her bad arm, and her dream lingering like a bad smell, she sat up in bed, and looked over to where her brother was. It was still quite dark, but the moon was full, and it shone in the window, giving just enough light to see her brother by.

"What is it, Sying?" She quietly answered.

"I've just been thinking... If we were to be warriors, what would we fight with? How would we fight? Could we actually kill...?"

Na blinked. A sense of deja vu had just washed over her, as she remembered her dream.

"Well..." she said carefully, "Remember when we were little, mother and father taught us some self defence..."

Na saw a smile pass over Sying's face, and smiled herself. She remembered how the small, impromptu dummy had shuddered and frayed, until finally it had disintegrated at her touch. They had only been wielding small swords at the time, but the power surge she had felt...

"Na, are you listening to me?" Na jumped. She hadn't realised that she'd drifted off into her own world, or that Sying had been talking.

"Sorry, Sying. What were you saying?"

"I said, I think we could do it. Become warriors, that is."

"But do you want to?" she said softly. "Father was a warrior, and remember all the scars he had? I think Mother is – no, was – a fighter, too. I think she wielded those pink maces that hang in the bedroom. I don't doubt we could become good fighters, but what about the cost?"

"But think of it this way, Na – we have nothing to lose apart from our lives, and if we are good enough, there's no chance of that happening. We should at least try." He replied quietly.

"I know. I just don't think I could kill again. A tiger has no one that loves it – all it knows is hunger, fear, survival. But a human… We all have people who love us. I just don't think I could live with being the person to cause so much pain to someone." She raised her head slightly. "But you are right. We should at least try."

Sying smiled in the dark.

"And if it doesn't work out, they may let us stay anyway."

"Yeah. You're right."

Na flopped back onto her bed, and stared at the ceiling, deep in thought.

* * *

Na didn't know when she fell asleep, she was only aware of waking up to find sunlight streaming in the window, her brother still asleep, and Lu Xun sitting on a chair beside her, reading a long scroll. He looked up as she pushed herself up onto her elbows, and nodded.

"What does the kingdom of Wu have in store for us today, then?"

"Well, first, breakfast, then Lord Sun Ce wishes to see you in his office. And then, possibly, weapons practice, if you feel up to it."

"And my brother?"

"He has been confined to his bed for now, but he can join us as soon as he is up to it."

He seems to have had a lucky escape... as have I. Is this fate...? Na wondered.

"I'm not that hungry, I'll have something to eat later."

"Ok, then. I'll wait outside while you get dressed." Na watched him walk out, then looked around for some clothes. She soon spotted them, but she was amazed at the quality of the material and detail on the robe. How could they be for her?

She swung her legs out from under the covers, discovering that she was wearing a fine, silk night robe. She was amazed at the splendour of the place - the clothes, the food, the servants - and instantly knew that the kingdom had sucked them in, given them shelter, tended to their wounds, and that she could only repay this by helping to protect her. Swinging her legs out from under the soft white sheets, and walking slightly unsteadily after the couple of days rest, she went over to the chair and got dressed.

* * *

Lu Xun stood just outside the door. All night long, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about the strange couple. He knew he wanted to be friends with them, but part of him couldn't help feeling curious, and also slightly apprehensive of what he would find out should he ask into it. Feeling decidedly confused, he turned around to see Na standing beside him.

She was wearing a short skirt robe, the type the Qiao's favoured (**A/N:** think Dynasty Warriors 4), of pure red silk, with gold detail picked out on it. A small tiger was sewn in silver near her left hip. The robe clung to her figure, and looked amazing on her. She had her hair lying on her shoulders, with a small-ish red lotus pinned to the left side of her head, near the back, and was wearing white leg covers, and soft, red shoes.

Na noticed the look she was getting from Xun, and went slightly pink. Turning away, she said over her shoulder,

"Well, I expect Lord Sun Ce is waiting for us."

"Oh, yes, follow me." He set off down the corridor, Na following close behind.

"Can I ask you something?" Xun asked as they walked.

"You just did, but I'll let you ask something else." She replied, grinning.

Xun smiled at the cheeky reply.

"Why do you and your brother have... strange eyes?"

"I don't know. We've been like this since birth. People always claimed we were special, but we didn't believe them."

"Oh... well, here we are. I'll wait out here. Go in!" Xun gestured at the door he had stopped in front of.

Na nervously entered the room, to find Sun Ce, Zhou Yu, and another man she didn't know, all sitting, talking quietly amongst themselves. They all looked up as she entered and stood in front of them, looking awkward.

"There you are. We were wondering when you'd turn up." Sun Ce said with a smile. "You've already met Zhou Yu, and this is my brother, Sun Quan." Quan acknowledged his name with a nod, "But let's get down to business. You and your brother are currently guests here. You show the makings of a warrior, perhaps even a general. I know you have nowhere else to go, so do you and your bother want to stay here, as fighters? Obviously, you will receive training, but in these times, we need all the warriors we can get, and you don't really have any other choice than to be a citizen, but somehow I don't think you want to settle with that. So what do you say?"

Na gaped at the bluntness of this. It was almost like they could read her mind – she wanted to squeal and jump up and down and shout yes, but she knew this wouldn't set a good impression, so instead she answered carefully with,

"The offer is certainly generous. You are right, I wouldn't be happy just existing in the background as a citizen. I and my brother do indeed wish to help to defend the kingdom – it is the least we can do, after you have shown us such kindness – but if it doesn't work out, and we aren't fit to defend Wu, would you allow us to stay anyway?"

Quan leaned over to Ce, and whispered something in his ear. Ce nodded, then turned his attention back to the nervous girl in front of him.

"I dare say Da and Xiao Qiao would welcome you, so ok. From what Lu Xun saw, though, I don't think you'll do too badly. Welcome to the family!"

With those words, Na felt she was being dismissed, so she bobbed a curtsy and left.

* * *

As Na left the room, Sun Quan turned to his brother.

"Ce, we don't know who she is or where she came from. How can we trust her?"

Ce sat back in his chair, and placed his hands behind his head.

"Look at her. She must only be, what, 16? She's young, scared, and confused. No one can act _that_ well."

"...I suppose you're right. But-"

"Quan, don't worry! Of course we'll keep an eye on her, and her brother. Besides, did you see her eyes?"

"Yes, they did strike me as odd. Isn't there a legend about that though?"

Zhou Yu spoke up.

"I was just thinking that myself. I shall certainly have a look."

* * *

Lu Xun was getting bored. He could hear snippets of the conversation from the other side of the door, but felt sure he shouldn't be listening in. He leaned against the wall, and crossed his arms, just as the door opened. Turning towards Na, Xun could see she was troubled.

"What's up?"

Na turned to look at him. Xun couldn't really decipher her expression, but he saw the concern in her eyes.

"I have been asked to stay as a warrior. But..."

"You're worried you won't pass the training, aren't you? You'll be fine!"

"...No, it's not that so much... oh, it will sound stupid to you."

"Try me." Na sighed

"I am just wondering... What if I pass all the training, but when it comes to actually killing someone, I can't do it?"

"Is that it? Don't worry about that. I was like that when I first started training. I'd actually have been slightly worried if you'd told me you were looking forward to killing."

Na just wanted to stop talking right there, but something made her keep on talking.

"I mean, yes, I killed the tiger, but I was physically sick afterwards. That isn't really a good thing for someone who kills scores of people at a time."

"So? _Why_ did you kill the tiger? Because it was it or you two. It's just like that in a battle. Either you take them out, or they take you out."

Na nodded sadly. Xun looked sideways at the young girl beside him, and knew that she was facing an uphill struggle inside. It may have been better if she faced it now, but it was never a pleasant process.

"Can you show me back to my room? I think I need to talk to my brother." She said quietly.

Xun nodded, and lead her back to her room in silence. When they reached her door, Xun turned to her.

"We still have weapon's practice. Do you still want to join in?"

Na looked unsure.

"I think I will talk to my brother, and then we shall see."

"Ok, if you do feel like it, then my room is the one opposite yours. And if you want anything, just ask one of the servants."

Na attempted a smile, before entering her room, and closing the door. Xun dithered a bit, before turning, and entering his room.

* * *

Na walked over to her brothers sleeping form, and gently shook him awake. Sying let out a small snort as he woke up, before looking up at his sister.

"What's wrong?" he asked, as he clocked his sister's worried expression.

"Well, the good news is, they've asked us to become fighters. And that's also the bad news." Na watched anxiously as the look of realisation appeared on Sying's face.

"You don't have to do it if you don't think you can handle it, you know." He said softly.

"I know, but I also know I have to do it. The kindness this kingdom has shown us must be repaid, and if this is the only way to repay it, so be it. And anyway, Lu Xun already invited me to join in with weapons practice. It would be impolite if I didn't go."

"So go! If there's an ambush, we need to be able to take care of ourselves!" Na studied her brother's face carefully, before straightening, and nodding.

"I suppose you're right. We will have to watch ourselves. I will go and let Lu Xun know I have decided to go to the practice."

Na turned, and walked towards the door, but when she reached it, Sying called out to her.

"Na!" She turned to face her twin brother.

"小心！" He said, half smiling.

Na couldn't help it. She smiled back as a fat tear slid down her face, followed by others. She ran back to her brother, and hugged him, tears flowing freely now.

小心！ meant a lot to her. It was what their mother would say to them, to tell them to take care, and it felt like the only thing of their mother they had left.

"Oh, Sying, I miss mother. I don't know what I would do without you!" She sobbed into his shoulder. Sying hugged her, trying to hold back his own tears. He missed their parents as much as Na did, but he knew he had to be strong for his twin.

"I know, Na, so do I. And I don't know what I would do without you, either. But come on, crying won't bring them back. We need to be strong for them." Sying said, his voice breaking.

"I don't know if I can be strong, I really don't! I - I - I just feel so - so -" Na hiccoughed.

"Come on, Na. We have to be strong. I know you have it in you! Father always favoured you - why do you think that was? You have to be strong. For our parents. For me. Can you be strong for me?" Na seemed to get a hold on herself, the tears still flowing, the wails and hiccoughing stopping. She looked up into her brother's eyes as he reached over and wiped away some tears.

"Thank you, Sying. I will be strong - for everyone. But it will be hard..." Na stood up again, sniffed, and wiped away the last of the tears.

"I suppose I had better go to weapons practice, now." she said, her voice steady. Sying smiled at his sister's remarkable control, as she turned, and walked through the door.

* * *

"So, what weapon do you want to try?" asked Lu Meng, who was in charge of the weapons rack that day. Xun looked over at Na, who was staring in wonder at the range of weapons. There were swords, spears, pikes, fans, staffs, and many others she didn't know the name for. She ran her eyes over the rack, waiting for one to jump out at her, when she saw them.

They were two slightly ovoid disks with blades protruding from the ends. Na stared at them as a sense of deja vu washed over her again. They were exactly the same ones she had used in her dream.

Lu Meng followed her gaze, and picked the disks up.

"These are the Twin Wonders. Are you sure you want to use them?"

"Yes, please." came the short reply. Meng looked puzzled for a minute, before shrugging, and giving them to the young girl. She carefully weighed them in her hands, before slipping them on, and following Xun over to the dummies.

"So, that's the new arrival then?" came a voice from above Lu Meng's head. He looked up to see Sun Shang Xiang perched on a branch above him.

"Princess, it isn't safe up there. Please come down!" Shang Xiang made a face, but dropped off the branch to land next to him.

"There's something about her... she reminds me of someone in a story my mother used to tell me. I think I'll be having a word with my brother about this..." she said, before wandering off back up to the castle, deep in thought.

* * *

Over by the dummies, Xun turned to Na.

"I have to ask you - why did you pick those weapons?"

"Why?"

"Just tell me - why?"

"'Cause I remember using them in my dream."

"What else happened in this dream?"

"Well, there was this big, long, dark corridor. It was really creepy; it felt like someone else was there. I went to the end and there was a door, but I woke up before I could open it." Lu Xun was quiet for a minute, before he spoke again.

"If you have the dream again... don't open the door. Don't ask me why, I just know it's bad. I need to talk to Zhou Yu about it."

"Ok." Na decided not to push it - the young man seemed deadly serious.

"Anyway, we're here to practice with weapons. Do you know any techniques?"

"I know some... my father insisted we were taught how to defend ourselves, but he seemed to concentrate more on the offensive than defensive moves."

Xun carefully ignored the mention of her father - it would look strange if he went pale out here.

"Show me."

Na nodded, turned to the dummy, and proceeded to batter it with some of her best moves. Within minutes, the dummy was ragged, and on the point of disintegrating. Na turned to face Xun, a slight grin on her face but stopped dead when she noticed the way Xun was staring at her.

"What?" she asked nervously. Looking past Xun, she could see some other people staring at her and the dummy. Looking back at Xun with a puzzled expression, he finally replied.

"... Those dummies... were next to new... no one can wear one down that fast... I think I can safely say you were a born warrior...just... one thing?"

"What?"

"Don't do that again, please?"

* * *

**A/N:** Hehehe I enjoyed writing that. Some more revealed about Na and Sying, but what will happen next? R&R, please, I need to know how to improve my work! And I have no idea what is the deal with the whole "take care" thing either.

**A/N2:** Finally sorted out the rulers. Enjoy, and review!


	3. An Ancient Prophecy

**A/N:** Ya, I know it's weird so far. I am doing my best, though! Thank you to all the people who reviewed, this time, I'll try to get everything right. And Na's hair is kinda shoulder length, so it can be long OR short. Also, this chapter hasn't changed too much, I just corrected the spelling and grammar, and generally made it less crappy.

**Disclaimer: **see chapter 1

* * *

Sun Shang Xiang was still deep in thought when she noticed an old shortcut of hers. Grinning, she checked no one was around before walking over to the old beech tree and clambering up the branches. After using the shortcut so many times, it was second nature. She found all the right handholds, and was soon walking along the thick branch that reached towards a window on the second floor of the palace.

The window was open, as usual, so all Shang Xiang had to do was double-check that no one was watching before taking a short run up, and leaping through the window. She landed cat-like, and quickly scrambled up - to see Quan watching her with a look of disdain.

"How many times have I told you -"

"- To stay the hell away from the tree? I reckon about, oooh, one thousand, five hundred and sixty four. But never mind that, I need to see Ce." and with that, she walked briskly away from her 'beloved' brother.

As soon as she was out of hearing of Quan, Shang Xiang doubled over and laughed until she was red in the face. She loved her younger older brother, really, but when he was telling her off, he really did look like he had a stick stuck up his bottom. It was all she could do not to laugh in his face. And as if that wasn't all, he hadn't spotted the easiest solution to the "problem". If he just closed the window, then she wouldn't be able to get through - but she wasn't going to tell him that!

Finally, she straightened up, and regained her composure. Ignoring the strange looks she was getting from the other people around her, she went to find Sun Ce.

She found him in the strategy room, earnestly discussing something with Zhou Yu and a couple of other people. They all looked up as she entered, and Ce excused himself and came over.

"What is it?"

"I just saw that girl, Na Mei, over by the weapons practice dummies. When she chose her weapons, she chose the Twin Wonders."

"That's strange... Where have I heard of those weapons before...?"

Shang Xiang took a deep breath, and when she next spoke, it all came out in a rush.

"Remember when we were little, and Mother used to tell us that story about the twins that turned up out of nowhere? The girl wielded the Twin Wonders. She had shoulder length, black hair, and one brown, one blue. Ring any bells?"

Ce gasped as realisation dawned.

"You think -"

"- That the story was a legend, or a prophecy. And I think it's just been set in motion."

Ce shook his head in disbelief as Yu came over to join them.

"What's up, Shang Xiang?"

Ce turned to his sworn brother.

"I think -," Ce glanced at the offended expression on Shang Xiang's face before rephrasing, "We think - that a story Lady Wu used to tell us is a legend. And it's begun to unravel on us."

"In the story, there were two twins that turned up out of nowhere. They both possessed extraordinary power - the girl, with strength, the boy, with sorcery. The girl wielded a weapon called Twin Wonder. They both had shoulder length, black hair, with one eye blue, the other brown." Shang Xiang cut in with.

"Shang Xiang saw Na Mei at the weapons training dummies. She chose the Twin Wonders as her weapons. She has -" Ce continued.

"- shoulder length, black hair, with one eye brown, the other blue?" Yu finished. "I can see where this is going. What else do you remember about the story?"

Ce placed his hand on the back of his neck, and rubbed it slightly.

"I can't really remember it that well, it was over 15 years ago..."

Yu rolled his eyes at Ce, before turning to Shang Xiang.

"I can't really remember that much either... but I remember the message at the end..." She paused, looking up at Yu, who encouraged her to carry on. She took another deep breath, before saying it.

"The message went something like, 'The pure of heart may succeed where even the mightiest and cleverest fail.' I don't really understand it that much."

Yu placed one hand to his chin in deep thought. Ce and Shang Xiang, sensing the strategist's need for peace for 5 minutes, stayed silent.

Well, then, what fine mess do we have here? Yu quietly mused. We have identical twins that mysteriously appear from nowhere, kill a tiger, and are picked up by Lu Xun...They have shoulder length black hair, with one eye brown, the other, blue. The girl picks the Twin Wonders as weapons. Now, we have an old story that could be a legend, with events that match what is happening here. And, it seems, we have the twins from the story currently residing with us. Hmm... I think I need to know more about this story first...

Yu looked up to see Ce and Shang Xiang watching him quietly.

"We definitely need to find out what happens in the story, before it becomes reality. Whether it is good or bad, we must know what it is that will happen. I will find Sun Quan and see what he knows about the story." Shang Xiang's shoulders sank with relief at not having the task herself. "Shang Xiang, could you check the library for anything that seems relevant?" Shang Xiang pulled a face, but traipsed off in the direction of the library. "And you, Ce... " Yu trailed off, not being able to think of anything suitable for the lively young sovereign.

"Stay here and see if anyone else has something to say?" Ce supplied. Yu mentally sighed with relief.

"Yes, Ce. You do that."

* * *

Na quietly entered the room she and her brother slept in, walked over to her bed, and flung herself, face down, on it. Sying looked over at his sister, wondering what had happened.

"Um... Na?" he ventured.

"What?" came the slightly damp, muffled reply.

"...What's up?" Sying asked, before bracing himself for the reply. He knew better than anyone the temper she had - he still had the scars to prove it.

"Nothing." Na answered through her pillow.

"Don't give me that. You're crying, I can tell. What happened?"

Na finally appeared from being buried in her pillow. She was a sight - her hair was messy, her eyes were red, and puffing up from crying, her nose was running, and her whole face was tearstained. Sying felt like he had been punched in the gut. He really hated seeing Na like this.

"Come over here, tell me what happened." Sying said gently, now he knew he wasn't going to be the one at the receiving end of Na's wrath.

Na reluctantly got up, and walked over to sit on the edge of her twin's bed. She wiped her eyes and nose on her sleeve, sniffing and blinking to stem the flow of tears. Sying said nothing, prompting Na to start talking.

"At weapons practice, I showed Xun my moves, but he just stared at me... Everyone did... It was like they thought I was a - a - a monster!" Na said in a shaky voice, before bursting into fresh tears, and hiding her face. Sying wrapped his arms around her, as best as he could while lying down and trying to avoid aggravating his injured arms.

They sat like that for several minutes, until Na had finally calmed down again. Sying took hold of her chin, and turned her head so she was facing him.

"Na, you aren't a monster. You are my sweet twin sister who sometimes goes psycho mad, but that does NOT make you a monster." Na smiled at Sying's description of her. "You know as well as I do you were the strongest in the village apart from Father. It's only natural for people to assume you're weak - it's the curse of women the world over - so when you show them how wrong they are, of course they'll be shocked." Na looked slightly reassured, but still worried.

"It's not just that - when I chose my weapon, everyone looked really shocked. Like I wasn't supposed to take them. But I saw myself in a dream with them. I think it's a sign."

Sying blinked. He hadn't expected _that_.

"Alright. First, what do you mean by 'shocked'? And, what dream?"

"Well, the man in charge of the weapons rack, I think he was called Lu Meng or something, he kind of hesitated, like he was trying to work something out, before he gave them to me. And then, Lu Xun asked me why I had chosen them. And he wouldn't explain why he was so curious even when I told him about my dream."

"This is all getting very strange..."

"And my dream - it wasn't much, it was almost like a vision or something - but I was in a long, dark corridor with a door at one end. There was a light or something on the other side of the door, so I moved towards it. All the time, it felt like I was being watched. I was just about to open the door when you woke me up. Xun told me to not open the door, but I don't really see how... It's not like I can control my dreams..."

"I think we are in this way over our heads on this. I mean, think about it - one event is sparking off this whole mess. It feels like - I dunno - we're in a legend or something. This isn't what we're supposed to be doing - we're supposed to be worrying about stuff like what we're having for dinner -" Sying started hyperventilating slightly, as he panicked.

"Sying! Calm down - we can handle this. I mean, we don't really have any choice. But, you want to know how I know we'll get through whatever fate throws at us?"

Sying took another minute to calm down, before replying.

"Why?"

"We were thrown in this together. As long as we stay together, we can get though anything."

"Which means I need to get better as soon as possible."

Na grinned at her brother, who grinned back.

* * *

There was a knock at the door. Zhou Yu, after finding out nothing he didn't already know from Quan, had returned to his room with a promising manuscript. He looked up from the faded text, to see Lu Xun poke his head around the door.

"Yes?" Yu didn't want to sound offensive, but he was tired already.

"Um... You know Na Mei?" Yu nodded. "Well, she told me about a dream she had the other day. Apparently, she was in a long, dark corridor. She said, it felt like someone else was there with her. There was a door at one end of the corridor. She went towards it, but she woke up before she could open it. And she was wielding these weapons -"

"The Twin Wonders?"

Xun gasped.

"How did you know that?"

Yu shrugged.

"Sun Shang Xiang, but that's not important. A long corridor with a door at one end? Let me think..." Yu trailed off as he tried to remember what it meant. Xun quietly slipped around the door, and quietly closed it behind him. Finally, Yu looked up again.

"I think I know what its significance is, but it is very confusing when we add it to the situation already."

"Situation?"

"We aren't sure at the minute, but from what I've gathered so far, we could be in for something. Lady Wu used to tell the Sun family children - that is, Sun Ce, Sun Quan, and Sun Shang Xiang - a story. It went something along the lines of a mysterious pair of twins coming from nowhere in strange circumstances. They possessed extraordinary talent - the girl in strength, the boy in sorcery. But the interesting bit is their appearance. They had shoulder length, black hair, and one blue, one brown eye." Yu stood, and began pacing back and forth, with Xun watching him.

"What? Na Mei and Sying Long?"

"Yes, that's the first strange occurrence. Out of the blue, we have twins that appear in strange circumstances, who look exactly like the ones on the story, and so far we know the girl has extraordinary strength. In the story, the girl wields the Twin Wonders - the same in real life."

"So the story is a legend?"

"We believe it to be, so we need to know how the story goes. However, none of the Suns could remember how it went. The only thing we have to go on is the message, which, luckily, Sun Shang Xiang still remembers. She believes it goes along the lines of 'The pure of heart may succeed where even the strongest and cleverest fail.'"

"How does that connect with the twins?"

"I am not sure, but now we have this dream on top of everything. The corridor means a change in the direction of life, due to circumstances. The dark is lack of understanding. The door is a barrier between the light and dark - she can't understand what is happening. But the length is confusing. It could mean duration, boredom, or importance. I think we need to find out how long the corridor is."

Yu looked up from his pacing to see Xun still struggling with the meaning of the dream.

"Na sees herself in a long, dark corridor - she has been set on a different course of life, but doesn't understand it. She sees a door with light on the other side - the barrier to understanding. She walks towards it and tries to open it, but wakes before she can. She is striving to understand what is happening, but just falling short of the mark."

"Should I tell her what her dream signifies?"

"...Leave it for now. Don't tell Na or Sying anything that I have just told you now, until we know more. In the mean time, stay close to them. I want to know what is happening from their point of view. And now," Yu stated as he sat down at his desk again, "I believe you have work to be getting on with?"

"What? Oh, yes. Thank you, Master Yu." Xun bowed before quietly exiting, and making his way back to his room, deep in thought.

* * *

**A/N: **The chapters are all over 2000 words so far, have you noticed? That's quite long for me. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter, any comments, opinions, requests, or ideas for the legend (I still haven't figured it out yet) are welcomed. With your help, we _can_ save this story! 


	4. A Turn For The Worse

**A/N: **I've had slight writers block on this story. But I'm back in business now, as I remembered my super awesome amazingly brilliant idea! Which isn't actually that super awesomely amazingly brilliant, actually. Oh well. Enjoy anyway!

**Disclaimer:** See chapter one. Jesus, you'd have thought the hounding lawyers would have got the idea by now wouldn't you?

* * *

Over the next week, nothing unusual happened in the Kingdom of Wu. The land was, by and large, experiencing a moment of peace, and the sound of laughter filled the halls of the great palace where the generals lived. The weather was perfect - sunny, with a light breeze, and few clouds skittering across the clear sky - which meant that everyone spent all day outside.

Na Mei sighed happily from the branch she was perched on. Her brother was making an incredibly speedy recovery, and was currently sitting in the grass by the base of the tree. The only thing left to show of the brutal attack from the tiger was the three long scars on his forearms, which already looked weeks old. It always amazed Na how fast Sying could heal from even the worst of injuries.

"Hey, Sying!" She called out playfully. Her twin looked up at her.

"Yeah, Na?"

"Doesn't that cloud look like a horse?" she said, pointing up at the cloud in question. Sying looked up, shielding his eyes from the glare.

"Looks more like a dog to me..." He replied, grinning. Na squinted back up at it.

"... No, I'd definitely say horse..."

"Na Mei! Sying Long!" came a voice from behind them. Startled, Na jumped slightly, losing her balance and nearly falling out of her tree. Once she had regained her balance, she looked down to see Lu Xun running towards them. They watched as he reached the foot of their tree, where Sying was now stood. Na swiftly dropped down from her perch, and stood next to her brother.

Once again, Xun was surprised by the incredible similarity between the two. He blinked, before remembering why he was out there in the first place.

"Lord Sun Ce has given us permission to visit your old village. That is, if you want to." he added, seeing the look they gave each other.

Na was surprised by the sudden offer, but Sying spoke up for them.

"When would we leave?" He asked.

"In about half an hour, meet down by the stables." and with that, Xun was off again. Na watched him go before turning to Sying.

"I'm not sure if I want to go back..."

"Neither am I, but it has been over a week since we went missing. The other villagers will wonder what happened to us – and you must admit, it does look a bit suspicious that we managed to escape unharmed. Besides, we need to pay our tribute to Mother, and then we can see if anything survived the bandit attack."

Na looked at the ground at the mention of her mother.

"I had totally forgotten about Mother out here. And you're right." She crouched down by the tree, staring dejectedly at the ground. "But it doesn't make it any easier..."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sying crouch down beside her, and felt his arm snake its way over her shoulders.

"I know, Na. It isn't easy for me, either. But it needs to be done." He said in a low voice. "Mind you," he added, looking around him, "First, we need to find the stables!"

Na looked up at her brother, smiling slightly. After a week with nothing to do but get to know the place, she knew where just about everything was. She stood up again, with Sying following suit, and looked at the sky to see the time.

"Come on, the stables is over here. If we set off now, we should get there on time." She set off, at an easy pace, with Sying following her.

"I knew you'd want to go. Besides, looks like Lu Xun will be accompanying us." He said, in an off-hand manner.

"And? It's not like I fancy him, or anything. I don't even know anything about him, yet."

"Doesn't stop most people."

"Why all the assumption, all of a sudden, anyway?"

Sying said nothing, tapping the side of his nose. Na rolled her eyes, before punching him in the arm, making it go numb.

"What was that for?" Sying protested, rubbing his arm.

"You know. Anyway, come on, Lu Xun will be waiting for us."

Lu Xun looked up from the horses he was preparing to see the twins running towards him. He walked over to greet them.

"You ready to go, then? It's only a half hour journey on horseback." Xun smiled as he walked with them over to where the horses patiently stood.

Na looked up at the magnificent beasts in front of her. They were both at least 12 hands high, with elaborate but simple designs on the dyed red saddles. Huge muscles rippled under their glossy coats. She felt a bit intimidated, as the horses looked down their noses at her. She looked over at Xun, who was mounting a particularly fine black horse.

Xun looked down at them from his perch, saw their expressions, and grinned.

"Don't worry, these two look fearsome, but they wouldn't hurt a fly. Well, maybe a fly, but not you two."

Sying looked at Na, and they shared a single, worried look.

"Let me guess: you don't know how to ride a horse, do you?" The twins looked up at Xun, who was looking slightly amused, and nodded simultaneously.

"I didn't think you did, which is why I chose these horses for you. They're the easiest for new riders. But I don't think you should have any trouble." Personally, Xun pitied the horses, if the twins turned out to be who Zhou Yu thought they were.

* * *

Sun Ce was bored out of his skull. All day, there had been strategy after boring strategy shoved under his nose for his approval. He knew it was for the good of the kingdom, but really, this was all more Zhou Yu territory. Ce yawned, and slumped back into his chair.

'I hope Yu managed to find something on the legend - speak of the devil...' He thought, as the doors at the other end of the hall swung open, and Yu marched up to him. Ce could read his friend like a book - unfortunately for him.

"It's bad, isn't it?" he sighed as Yu came up to him, holding what looked like a leaflet. Yu merely nodded, before wordlessly handing him the small scroll. Ce read it for a few minutes, before looking back up at his sworn brother and advisor, a questioning look on his face.

"What does 'Indubitably' mean?"

Yu rolled his eyes. He should have expected it, he told himself.

"It means 'without a doubt', Ce." He answered wearily.

"Oh."

Five minutes later, Ce spoke up again.

"And 'Inevitable?"

"'Unavoidable and obvious'." Yu looked at his friend. He obviously didn't understand half the words on the scroll. Not that they were easy, but Ce had always worked better in battle than with his head in a book.

Finally, Ce looked up, looking slightly puzzled and quite annoyed.

"Where did you get this from?"

"A man called Yu Ji as handing them out in the market square. It is causing quite an outrage." Yu carefully worded his answer, because he knew Ce didn't fully understand the accusations on the scroll, and didn't particularly want him to.

Suddenly, the door burst open again, and Suns Shang Xiang and Quan came through, the former brandishing an identical leaflet. Yu braced himself.

"Ce! Have you seen this scroll!" burst out Quan. Shang Xiang took one look at the scroll on Ce's lap and his slightly puzzled expression and spoke up.

"It's insulting us! Well, you, at least. And some of the soldiers are looking a bit unsure of which side they're on!"

"WHAT?" Yu opened an eye to see if it was safe, and saw that he was the only one in the room who didn't look like they wanted to kill someone. He sighed inwardly. It was going to take some quick thinking to calm down the royal siblings this time...

* * *

Sying sighed happily. The weather continued to be fine as they rode on through the sparse bush, no one saying much as the village came into view. Sying slowed down, so he drew level with Na.

"You ok about this?" he said quietly.

"I have to be. For Mother. Plus, this may be the last time we are here. We both have things to do."

Sying nodded. All the way here he had been battling with himself, trying to find the will to do the difficult task in front of them, and he knew it was just as difficult for his sister.

As they rode into the circle of huts that was their village, an old lady looked up and saw who it was.

"Bless my soul, if it isn't Na Mei and Sying Long! We were so worried!" she cried, rushing over to them. The pair grinned as the rest of the villagers came over, and dismounted.

Xun also dismounted, and watched the siblings being greeted by their old neighbours. He was feeling... well... slightly jealous of the two – seeing them being greeted so positively brought back memories he would rather forget, of when he had been forced out of his village... No. This isn't the time or the place. Stop thinking about it. It happened. That's all there is to it. Even so...

He gave his head a slight shake, put the thought to the back of his mind, and silently scolded himself. Looking back at the twins, he saw they were surrounded by people now.

"We were so worried -"

"- Such a shame about your mother -"

"- So glad you're alright -"

"- Worried senseless -"

"Where have you been?"

Na blinked. As soon as the villagers had realised they were back, they had been inundated with questions and commiserations. But there was something else, beneath it all - oh, dear heavens, no... She had never realised before, but after being in the Kingdom of Wu, she saw it all to clearly. They had always been so popular because the villagers were scared of them. She was aware of Sying speaking beside her.

"... Mother saw the bandits coming, and told us to run. We were heading for the safe spot, when we were attacked by a tiger. Na managed to... fend it off, and, next thing I know, I'm in the Wu imperial palace!"

One of the villagers turned their attention to Lu Xun.

"And who is this fine young man?"

Na turned to see that the old woman had her attention trained on Xun.

"This is Lu Xun, from the palace." The minute the name left her lips, there was a collective gasp and the villagers bowed as one. Na had half expected them to, but it was still a bit of a surprise when they did.

Five minutes later, they broke away from the little crowd and managed to find the remains of their old life.

Na gave a dry sob, while beside her Sying gasped loudly. The house was a charred pile of rubble, with streaks of melted metal mingling with the occasional colour that managed to, miraculously, survive the intense heat of the blaze. Xun paused, visions of flames and shouting passing before his eyes – for a second, he knew what the twins were going through – but he pushed the memories firmly aside, and went back to the task at hand.

Tying the horses to a nearby tree, Xun went over to help the siblings. As he was sifting through a pile of charred wood, something caught his eye. He straightened up, looking at it. It was a piece of parchment with some writing on it that had been blown away in the blaze. He walked over to it, picked it up, and placed it in his pocket. He would check it when the gruelling job was over.

Looking back over at the twins, he saw how they were visibly sagging under the weight of grief, and was painfully reminded of himself when he was a young boy. But no. This wasn't the time or place. Best to get this over with as soon as possible, really.

"Have you found anything?" Na looked up to see Xun walk over, and shook her head miserably.

"The fire totally destroyed all our belongings. And there's no sign of Mother anywhere..." Her bottom lip wobbled treacherously.

"I couldn't find anything either. Anyway, the bandits probably took anything of value." Sying said, quietly, from behind Na.

" ... I know this is hard for you, but is there a particular place your mother favoured?" Xun said quietly. Na sniffed, but walked over to a gnarled old tree about 10 metres from where the house once stood. Sying walked up behind her and gave her a hug. Xun shifted uncomfortably. He felt like he was intruding on a family moment. He stood and watched while Na and Sying separated, both picking up a handful of pebbles, and arranging them into a memorial. Finally, Na slipped off a tarnished bracelet, and laid it on the rock pile.

Without a word, Na and Sying both turned around, and remounted their horses. Xun followed their lead, climbing on his horse, and leading the way back to the castle.

* * *

Zhou Yu woke with a start. Beside him, Xiao Qiao murmured something in her sleep, and snuggled into his chest. Yu blinked. What had made him wake up while it was still dark? He eased himself out from under his wife, and walked to the window overlooking the market place in town. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something was subtly... wrong.

A movement outside caught his eye. He watched as a figure staggered from behind a building, clutched at its chest, and dropped down onto one knee. Yu froze - he knew that figure anywhere. But what was he doing out at this time?

Yu cursed under his breath. He _told_ Ce to not go after Yu Ji, but what had the idiot evidently done?

Turning from the window, he pulled on a shirt - he had slept in his trousers - grabbed his sword, just in case, and swept silently out of the room.

* * *

Pain coursed through Ce's body as he pulled himself up and staggered towards the bulk of the palace before him. For a second, as he collapsed, he thought he had seen a shape in one of the windows.

You should have listened to Zhou Yu, whispered a voice in the chaos of his mind. He told you to leave Ji alone...

He gasped as another arrow of pain shot through his chest. As his knees buckled underneath him, he noticed someone coming towards him, and just before he hit the ground, they caught him. Through the haze of pain, he heard a voice.

"Ce?" He tried to lift his head, but he was suddenly so very sleepy...

* * *

**A/N:** Before you start flaming me, I actually like Ce, but the plot line was unavoidable. Also, I apologise for dumbing him down a lot. Some more revealed about Xun's past, there. PLEASE REVIEW! I won't post the next chappie until I get at least 1 review. So please review, 'cause I like this story! 


	5. Time To Train

**A/N:** Sorry I took so long to update, exams are coming up and the school play was just recently, but here's the next chapter! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I was beginning to think no one liked me. On with the story!

**Disclaimer:** I don't believe I am still writing these. Chapter 5 with a disclaimer on each chapter? Well, I am still me, and I still don't own the rights to anything except the plotline.

* * *

Sun Shang Xiang slowly surfaced from her dreams. Fragments of her last dream drifted around her head - no, not a dream, a nightmare. She lay where she was, waiting for reality to reinsert itself, and thinking about her dream. 

Let's see... there was... a sombre procession in the dirction of the castle. It was like... a funeral - yes, definitely a funeral. She had been standing next to Sun Quan. Across the way from her stood Zhou Yu, Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao, and on her other side, Na Mei, Sying Long, and the rest of the Wu officers...

A wave of depression pulled her under. She remembered now. Sun Ce's funeral from last month. Were it not for the fact Yu Ji seemed to have vanished off the face of China... Her fists clenched under the covers.

Not wishing to return to sleep yet, she sat up and looked out the window. The sky was tinged with pink as the new sun rose into the sky. She sighed, and flung back the covers. No point in staying in bed. Some of the other officers would already be up. Might as well get some weapon practice in.

She chuckled humourlessly. Before, she had slept till noon and trained when press-ganged into it by her father or brothers. Then Sun Jian had fallen foul of an ambush, and Shang Xiang made sure she trained at least three times a week. And now... up at dawn, and spending all day at the training dummys. Oh, how the world turned.

She pulled her boots on, dragged a brush through her hair - then paused. Her hand had automatically found her ruby amulet, given to her just last year from Sun Ce...

She shook her head to dislodge the thought, and walked to the training arena. No one else would be there yet -

Yet there was somebody, clumsily attacking a dummy with a sword. She paused in the shade of a tree, squinting to make out who it was. She'd seen him before, she knew it...

Slightly frustrated at not being able to recognise him, she walked over.

* * *

Sying Long sighed in frustration. Sword work was a basic skill, why was it giving him so much trouble? His thoughts crept longingly to his beloved staff, currently tucked into his belt. But wait - no one else was awake yet, no one would know if he cheated, and it wasn't even that really... 

He sheathed his sword, flicked his staff out of his belt, and concentrated. His eyes shut themselves as he made the mental connection with the elements... Ice was his favourite, and wouldn't make a mark on the wretched thing...

His eyes snapped open, and he sent out a wave of blisteringly cold ice at the dummy - and then heard somebody gasp. He spun around to see Sun Shang Xiang watching him with a mixture of suprise and amazement, and quickly bowed.

Shang Xiang blinked. There was an awkward silence. She had recognised him as Sying Long, and sought desparately for something to say.

"You're doing it all wrong, by the way." Seeing Sying's confused expression, she added, "The sword work, I mean."

"I know... I just can't get the hang of it. It's geting annoying, really. I can't help my sister in battle if I can't defend myself!" Sying replied dejectedly. Shang Xiang looked him over critically, as if deciding something.

"I can help you there, you know."

Sying looked up hopefully.

"You can?"

"Sure. I'd like to think my brother's got my back in a battle."

"But I have nothing to offer in return..."

"You can repay me by learning."

Sying grinned at her gratefully. She smiled to herself, before beginning the lesson.

"Give me that sword." Sying handed it to her. "No, this is completely the wrong sword for your build. Hang on a minute -" She walked over to the the weapons rack, occasionally glancing back at him, as if weighing him up, before choosing a long, slender sword, and walking back.

"How does that feel?" she asked, handing him back the sword. He weighed it carefully, then tossed it from hand to hand.

"That's a lot better. Not so heavy." Shang Xiang smiled.

"Good. Let me just get my chakrams..." Sying watched her as she ran back to the rack and picked up the circular blades, a faint grin on his face. He couldn't help but have a good feeling about the near future.

* * *

"Rise and shine, sleepy head!" 

Na Mei groaned, and rolled over.

"Remind me again why I decided to come on this training exercise?" She asked the world in general.

"'Cause even the best need to train. Come on, get up!"

Na gave up on sleep, opening her eyes to see her friend Ling Tong grinning down at her.

"Well, go away so I can get dressed, then." She yawned, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She waited for Tong to vanish before standing and stretching. At least there were no stones on her patch of ground, but she was always stiff when she woke up. She flopped back down again, and, 10 minutes later emerged from her tent, fully dressed.

She walked over to the main tent, where the generals discussed what they would be doing that day. The exercise was a week long, and it was already the fifth day. It was the first time Na had been separated from her brother, and she missed him quite a lot, but she had been so busy she hadn't had any time to think about it.

She had been made a general, along with her brother, earlier that month. Sun Quan, the new ruler of Wu, had been impressed with their abilities, so they had been moved from the guest rooms to the slightly disappointing general's quarter - in adjacent rooms, naturally. The twins were glad to be living in an environment where family came first, and where their skills were appreciated, rather than feared.

She walked into the tent, and was just about to sit down when she noticed the empty seat.

"Where's Lu Xun?" she asked. Lu Meng looked up from the rota.

"We don't know. He's usually here by now, but no one's seen him."

Na rolled her eyes wearily.

"I'll go look for him, then..." she sighed, shaking her head as she walked back out of the tent.

She walked around the camp for a bit, before she saw Xun's tent. She went over, and was about to enter, when she heard someone speak.

"No... I didn't do it... please... no..."

Na paused. The voice was Xun's, and from the sound of it, he was still asleep. Na hovered uncertainly, wondering if she should go in and wake him. After all, it did sound like he was having a nightmare...

Na made up her mind, and entered the tent.

Xun was sleeping on his side, muttering softly. Occasionally, a limb would jerk. Na bit her lip, but knelt down beside him, and gently shook him awake.

"No... wassa... fnh... huh?" Xun opened his eyes, and looked up at Na, who sat back on her haunches.

"Sounds like a bad nightmare." she said.

"What?"

"You were talking in your sleep."

"Was I?" Na nodded. Xun rolled over onto his back and groaned. "Damn..."

"You want to tell me what it was?"

Xun sighed.

"It's nothing."

"Didn't sound like nothing."

Xun suddenly remembered something.

"Argh! What's the time?"

"You... kinda slept in. By half an hour."

"Damn!" Xun sat up and frantically looked around for his clothes

"I'll wait for you outside." Na said, smiling.

She walked out of the tent, listening to the frantic rustling of clothes and the occasional thud, and was soon joined by Xun.

"Come on, they'll be waiting for us."

They walked in silence throught the still camp. It would be another half an hour before the soldiers woke up - by then, the generals had decided on an activity for the day. As they walked, Na noticed that Xun kept rubbing his arm, as if he had injured it.

"Have you hurt your arm?" She asked, after Xun had done it for the fifth time.

"What? Oh... no."

Na sighed. This wasn't like Xun at all, and she was beginning to get worried.

"Please will you tell me what that dream was?" she asked, as the main tent came into sight.

"...It's nothing. You'll think it's stupid."

Na suddenly stopped. Xun looked at her.

"Xun, will you stop giving me all that rubbish about it being nothing? You're worried, I can tell. If it's nothing, then why are you so distracted?"

Xun stared at her for a minute or two, then dropped his gaze to his feet. He sighed, before replying.

"I can't tell anyone. I want to, but I... just can't. I thought it was all in the past, but..." He stopped, and turned from her. "You have no idea how hard it's been for me..."

"Oh, Xun..." Na walked up behind him, and put her arm round his shoulders. "Please, try to tell me. Just try. For me. Please?"

Xun looked up at her before sighing.

"...Ok. I'll try. But not now."

"How about tonight, by the stream?"

"Ok." Xun straightened up, wiping his eyes, and regained his composure. "But first, let's get through today."

Na nodded, and they walked to the tent together.

* * *

"...There. Now you try it." 

Sun Shang Xiang handed Sying the sword she had ben holding, and saw the dubious look on his face. "You'll be fine!" she laughed. "Just remember to spin with the rebounds."

Sying turned his attention to the dummy in front of him. He tossed the sword from hand to hand, before settling with his left hand, and began by striking it in the neck. It rebounded on the wooden support, but he span with it, and slashed it across the chest. The cloth split and hay and feathers went flying. Shang Xiang started clapping and whooping.

"I told you you could do it! You just need to turn the rebounds to your advantage!"

Sying beamed.

"Thanks for helping me. You think I'll be ok in a battle now?"

"Positive." Shang Xiang appeared to think about something. "Hmm... Have you ever thought about combining your sorcery with your weapon?"

"How do you mean?"

"Like, make your blade icey cold, or on fire, or something. Other people use orbs, but you wouldn't need to. Go on, try it with ice."

"...If you're sure..." Sying concentrated, his eyes closing automatically again. The link with ice was easier to find this time, as he had used it earlier that day. He felt the power surge through him, and redirected it into his blade. He opened his eyes, and swung at the dummy in the neck.

He woke up to find himself flat in his back, with Shang Xiang kneeling beside him. He tried to sit up, but a dull ache in his head stopped him.

"Are you ok?" Shang Xiang asked worriedly, helping him into a sitting position.

"Apart from the headache, I think so. What just happened?"

"Well, you did the whole iceblade thing, but when you hit the dummy you just... collapsed. Oh, and the sword shattered, but that's probably 'cause the cold made it brittle."

"Oh... I think I might have over used the ice..."

"Has it happened before?"

"Just once. Except that it was with fire."

"Ah..."

Sying rolled up his sleeve to show a wide burn scar.

"It hurt like hell, but it stopped me from overdoing it... up till now, that is."

"It might have been 'cause the wood was denser, or something."

Sying turned this over in his mind. It seemed to make sense.

"Maybe."

"Anyway, you should go get some rest. You'll need to get your strength back - you never know when you'll need it. Can you stand?"

"I can try..."

Sying tried to stand up, and made it on the second attempt. Shang Xiang watched him swaying, and shook her head.

"Put your arm around my shoulders. I'll help you get to your room."

"Thanks - for the help with the sword work, as well as this."

"Hey, it's no problem. And, anyway, if you're gonna be in this army, you need to be up to scratch when push comes to shove!"

Sying smiled.

"Anyway, where's your room?"

"Second floor, third room to the right."

"Hey, your room is directly below mine!"

They set off awkwardly toward the palace. Luckily, most people were in the mess hall, eating, so the only people they met on the way up were servants and the like.

Finally, they located Sying's room, and staggered through the door. Shang Xiang helped Sying onto his bed, where he lay down.

"I'm off to get something to eat. You want anything?"

"No, I'm ok. Just tired. Thanks, again. I'll try to be down at the dummies tommorow." He smiled at Shang Xiang.

"You don't need to."

"I want to."

"Well, I'll see you tommorow, then."

"Bye."

Shang Xiang left the room, carefully pulled the door to behind her, and wandered down the corridor to the mess hall. She was feeling the happiest she had in a long time, and, for some reason, couldn't wait for tommorow.

* * *

Lu Xun sat on the little jetty that hung out over the stream, occasionally rubbing his thigh, where a gash in the fabric showed he had lost his concentration. He turned round when he heard the sound of footsteps on wood, and saw Na Mei walking towards him. She sat down beside him, dangling hr legs off the edge.

"So what was the deal with the dream?" she said quietly.

"...Remember when we went to your old village? Well... it brought back memories I thought were long buried. That I wanted to be forgotten. About my past." He paused, and took a deep breath. "No one in Wu knows my past... only the people from the village I was born in. The village was just like yours. My father was respected in the community. He was a succesful farmer. But..." he broke off.

"But?" Na asked gently.

"There was a fire. My house got burned down. No one knew how the fire began, or anything. My family... they all died. Apart from me. The villagers... no one liked me. I was the strange one. The trouble maker. The pyromaniac." He shuddered, and Na put her arm around his shoulders. "It was never me. The other boys in the village would set fires and pin the blame on me. All I was trying to do was put them out. No one believed I didn't do it... except for my family. Then the fire came. The villagers all thought it was me. They had me trapped. Between the fire and their wrath. No one stood up for me. I couldn't escape. I was trapped in a fiery hell. I had no possesions, no family, no home." He stopped again, and tears began to flow down his cheeks.

"Oh, Xun..." Na sighed, hugging him.

"The fire was scorching my back. The villagers wanted me dead. They just watched until... until someone at the back told them to get me. Then they came for me. I was terrified. But... I saw a gap. In the crowd. I ran for it. One of the villagers struck lucky. They gouged my shoulder. It bled and bled. You could see the bone."

Xun rolled his sleeve up to reveal a long, red scar.

"But I couldn't do anything about it. I had to run, to escape. I was doomed. By the time I was a mile away, I was in the middle of nowhere. I was weak. Covered in blood. Thirsty. About to give up and die. I... I collapsed. I just wanted it all to be over. But. But. Some nomads found me." Xun's voice was shaking uncontrollably, but he plunged on, determined to get it over with.

"They helped me. They gave me food, water, clothes. They stopped my wound from bleeding. I couldn't move my arm. They protected me. But. As soon as I could walk again... they left me. I fell asleep, and when I woke up, they were gone. My life, shattered again. They left me some water, but no food. I walked for 15 miles to the nearest city. I collapsed. The slavers got me. But I had a kind master. I was treated fairly, given food, water, the occasional day off. But then..."

Xun broke off, and spent the next few minutes breathing deeply. Na just watched him, horrified at what he was revieling. How could anyone treat someone like that? It was ... unthinkable. No wonder Xun was having nightmares.

"A friend came round to my house. He hit me when my master wasn't around. And that night... he tried to kill me."

Hands shaking, Xun pulled down his collar to show a thin yet angrily red scar across the base of his neck.

"He got away with it. Claimed I did it myself. My master believed him, and cast me out onto the streets. I nearly died. I collapsed. When I woke up, I was in the Wu medical room. Sun Jian came to see me. He offered me a place to stay. He showed me true kindness. I couldn't bring myself to tell anyone about my past. So I tried to forget it. Made up a different past. Covered my scars. Became a different person. And it was working. Then I went to your village with you..."

" Oh, Xun..." Na sighed. "How could you have kept all that to yourself? For so long? I would have broken under the pressure... Come here." Na embraced Xun, and whispered, "Thank you for telling me."

Xun managed to smile through his tears as he embraced her back. "Thank you for making me."

* * *

**A/N:** Aw! How awful for Xunnie! I loved typing that! Please tell me what you think of it! And no, I don't hate Xun. I just thought it was fitting for the plot... which is still to resolve itself in my head. BUT ANYWAY! Major pairwork in this chapter, sorry if there's too much dialogue! And, for god's sake, REVIEW!

* * *


	6. Battle of Xia Kou Pt1

**A/N:** Yay, this story has more than 200 views - the most yet! Does that mean people actually like it? I just reread Xun's past, and I realised he was collapsing every 5 minutes. Hmm. Anyway, here's the next chappie, this time complete with rulers! Enjoy!

Three years have passed, so I'll give you the ages of some people:

Na Mei: 17

Sying Long: 17

Lu Xun: 18

Sun Shang Xiang: 19

Ling Tong: 20

Gan Ning: 24

**Disclaimer: **I can't be bothered to think up anything witty. See the last 5 chapters.

* * *

"...So that's sorted, then. Any questions? Go get your armies ready, then."

Na Mei and Sying Long both stood, and walked back to the tent they were sharing.

"So... our first battle, then." Sying said. Na nodded, but didn't say anything. Sying looked at her. "You nervous?"

"Not very, but I can't shake off the feeling something is going to go wrong."

"... I know what you mean." Sying shook his head lightly, and looked up. "Hey, isn't that Lu Xun?"

"And Sun Shang Xiang."

The twins drew level with Xun and Shang Xiang, who started walking with them.

"You two nervous? First battle and all." Shang Xiang said merrily.

"Not so much nervous as... worried. But it might be nothing." Na replied.

"The first kill's the worst. And the stench will make you gag. But you get used to it." Xun said cheerily.

"Anyway, at least you two will get to fight. We're stuck in the main camp 'cause of that Gan Ning." Shang Xiang said, rolling her eyes.

"He sounds like a nasty piece of work." Sying agreed.

"But he should be no match for the two of you!" Xun said.

"You reckon? Even his own side is scared of him!" said Na.

"Don't worry about it, seriously. You've got both Ling Tong and Ling Cao to help you if you need it." said Shang Xiang.

"We'd better go get ready, anyway. At least we're both together." said Sying.

"Good luck, anyway. And just remember - it's you or them!" called Xun as they walked off in the direction of their armies.

When they were inside their tent, they set about strapping on all their armour and weapons. Neither wore helmets, instead wearing bands that held their hair out of their faces. Sying wore full length trousers with red flames sewn up the sides, and a top with sleeves that went no further than his elbows, while Na wore three-quarter length tight trousers with a short skirt over the top and similar flames to Sying's, and top identical to that of her brother's except it was cropped, and had a tiger sewn on where it had slashed her. Both wore wrist guards and plain black shoes.

Once they had finished dressing, they picked up their weapons - Na, her Twin Wonders, and Sying, his white Dragon Staff.

They walked out of the tent together towards the assigned clearing in the forest of the soldiers' tents. On the way, various officers offered them advice, and reassured them about the coming battle. They thanked them, and continued to where the ranks of soldiers waited.

When they drew near the clearing, they could see Zhou Yu talking to his troops. As they drew closer, he concluded his pep talk, and sent them off to their posts. He then walked over to the nervous twins.

"Your armies are over there. As it's your first battle, I'll watch and help you if needed."

They both nodded, before walking to the front of their units. Na took a deep breath, and launched into her pep talk.

"You probably know that this is our first battle, so I need you to back us up. This battle won't be easy, and the other team might be tough, but we're tougher! I don't want any of you making stupid mistakes that waste lives or time." She paused, before remembering something. "Just remember, either you get them or they get you. Now let's go show 'em what we've got!"

There was a collective cheer. Na smiled.

"Now, let's get to our posts before the enemy shows up!"

There was another cheer, and the soldiers filed out onto the battlefield. She glanced over at Sying to see that he had finished his pep talk, and was just sending his soldiers off. As they all filed out, Zhou Yu came over to join them.

"I see you have the hang of it. And don't worry when you're out there - you'll be fine. Now, let's go to our own posts." He smiled at them, and walked out after the soldiers. Na looked at Sying.

"Let's go get our horses." she said. Sying nodded, and they walked out of the clearing.

* * *

Lu Xun sat with his back to the tree. The main camp was positioned so they could see any threats before the threats saw them, so he had plenty of time to get ready.

He was thinking, as usual, of Na Mei. Over the last three years, she had matured into an attractive, strong-willed young woman. Xun was excellent at controlling his feelings, but he had to admit that it was getting harder whenever Na was around. He was sure it was love - but did she like him in the same way? The same agonising doubt was what had kept Xun from admitting his feelings. He was beginning to doubt that he ever would.

When he had confessed his past, all those months ago - if it had been anyone but Na, he wasn't sure he would have confessed. In fact, Na was the only one apart from himself who knew about his past. He wondered how his life would have been if Na hadn't come into it.

He sighed. Every day he had told himself that he was going to tell her, but whenever the opportunity came around, he had lost all his confidence. He wondered if Zhou Yu or Sun Ce had ever been in his situation. No, of course they wouldn't have, they were both braver than he ever would be...

He looked up at the overhung sky, and hoped that Na was ok.

* * *

On the other side of the main camp, Shang Xiang idly swung her legs from the tree branch she was perched on, humming tunelessly. Around her, the soldiers talked quietly. She wasn't particularly bothered what they did, as long as they were prepared for battle - if that was going to happen at all.

For some reason, her thoughts kept slipping to Sying Long. Every day since she had seen him at the training dummies, they had kept on bumping into each other. Every morning for the last couple of years, she had woken, looking forward to meeting Sying - in fact, she realised, that was the only thing she looked forward to.

She stopped humming as the realisation hit her. Was she in _love_?

...No, of course she wasn't. But how did she know? Her humming resumed as she turned the question over in her head. She knew she wasn't in love because she had never been in love before? But she had never felt this feeling before. For all she knew, it might be love. She could feel it intensify whenever Sying was around, and he was always in her dreams... so was it?

She shook her head. Whatever. She needed to be ready for if the enemy ever decided to turn up...

She wondered how Sying was getting on.

* * *

They had advanced further than expected. Na ducked a careless sword strike, and impaled the wielder. She then somersaulted back over the heads of her attackers, so they were in front of her. She spun, ducked, dodged, and slashed, until the last soldier toppled over, headless. She grimaced. That was something she didn't really need to see so soon...

She turned to see how her brother was doing. He was standing a slight distance from the rabble of soldiers, and was preparing a lightning bolt. Na could see an unnoticed soldier creep up behind him, sword raised, and a calculating look in his eyes. She didn't even stop to think, just taking off into a dead run at the soldier. He noticed her at the last second, although by then, it was too late. He looked from Na's face, down her arm, to where her weapon was sticking out of his chest, a look of surprise on his face. Na pulled her weapon out of the unfortunate soldier, and turned back to the battle just in time to see a lightning bolt spear down out of the clouds, and hit a group of purple clad soldiers.

They had pushed the enemy back until their dock was in sight, when it happened.

"Gan Ning has arrived with backup for the enemy!" cried a messenger as he raced past. Na looked up to see that there were, indeed, more soldiers than there was before. She quickly dispatched the soldiers that had gathered around her, and ran over to help Sying.

"Argh! Killed by - lowly pirates!"

"Fatherrrr!"

Na whipped around to see Ling Tong stand up from Ling Cao's corpse.

"Gan Ning, I swear your head will be mine!"

"Ah!" Na gasped as she felt the cold bite of steel in her arm, and dropped one of her Wonders. She turned around, and disembowelled the soldier responsible. Touching her wound, she saw that the material around it was already sodden. She tried flexing her fingers, and bit back a groan of pain. She picked up her other weapon, and slipped it into its sheath. It didn't look like she'd be using it again, at least not in this battle.

"Na! Are you ok?" She turned to see her sibling run over to her.

"I'll be ok, it's just a cut." she said faintly. In fact, she was feeling light-headed, but she didn't want to admit it.

"You've gone really pale. Let me see it..." Na felt him take her arm, but it was from a distance. She distantly heard Sying gasp, and heard him speak, but she couldn't make out the words. She blinked slowly, then collapsed onto her stunned twin.

* * *

Sying staggered slightly as Na collapsed on him, then looked around him wildly. A couple of soldiers ran over to him.

"Lord Zhou Yu wishes for you to help Lord Ling Tong." one of them panted.

Sying blinked. What was he going to do? He needed to make sure Na was safe, but he also needed to help Ling Tong, who, he could see, was struggling against the fierce pirate. He made up his mind.

"You two, take Na Mei back to the main camp. She needs to see a medic."

The soldiers nodded, before going either side of the unconscious girl and carrying her away. Sying watched for a minute, until an arrow whistled past his nose, and brought him back to the battle. He turned to the group, of soldiers in front of him, and sent out a wave of fire, which knocked them down. He then gripped the ends of his staff, and pulled. With almost a silken sound, it came apart to reveal a long dagger that had been concealed in it.

One of the soldiers looked up to find Sying bearing down on him with a sword he hadn't had a minute ago, before slumping forwards, dead. After dispatching, and in a few cases, disembowelling, all the soldiers, he looked up to see only Ling Tong, Gan Ning, and a few soldiers left. He prepared a quick fireball, and threw it at Gan Ning.

Ning saw it just in time to block it, but it gave Tong the opening he had been looking for. He became a blur, battering Ning until a loud crack and wail of pain from the pirate indicated a broken arm. Cursing, he ducked past Tong, and ran off in the direction of his main camp. Tong was about to follow him when Sying shouted to him.

"Leave it, Tong! You need to get some of those wounds checked. I'll take over here."

Tong, panting, reluctantly nodded, and sloped off. Sying watched him go, before turning back to the task at hand.

* * *

Lu Xun looked up to the sound of shouting. There were a couple of soldiers, clad in red, supporting another red clad figure between them. Xun squinted at them against the sudden glare of the sun. Who was the figure between them? He paused as he recognised the cut of the clothes, and the glint of glossy, black hair. He scrambled to his feet and ran over to the soldiers.

Xun reached the soldiers at the same time as Sun Shang Xiang.

"What happened to her?" demanded Xun as he and Shang Xiang took Na Mei from the soldiers.

"We don't know, we arrived with a message and she was unconscious. Lord Sying Long instructed us to bring her here. She needs a medic." said the more senior soldier of the two.

"Well done for doing it so quickly. You can return to your posts now." Shang Xiang watched them run off, before turning to Xun.

"Let's get her to a medic."

Xun nodded. Shang Xiang looked at him, and noticed his expression.

"She'll be ok, don't worry."

"I know."

* * *

**A/N:** I know it's short, but I don't want to give away too much. What will happen to Sying? Will Na be ok? And what about Xun, seeing Na unconscious? All of this and more will be revealed when I decide to post the next chapter! AND FOR GOD'S SAKE, REVIEW! 


	7. Battle of Xia Kou Pt2

**A/N:** Progress on all my other stories had stopped, 'cause I'm so obsessed with this story! I'm really pleased that so many people like my story, and also slightly worried about the contents of my morbidly sadistic imagination. But, whatever, NEXT CHAPPIE!

**Disclaimer:** (Facepalm) See the first five chapters.

* * *

There was definitely something going on at the docks. There were more soldiers here, as though they were trying to guard something. But what was going on? Sying ducked behind a building as a volley of arrows was launched at him, and prepared a quick fireball. He threw it at them, then quickly drew his sword from the end of the staff, and finished off the job. Up ahead, an enemy general was standing, going over some plans. He didn't seem to have noticed him. What _was_ he up to? The docks were edging out over the lake - 

Which their main camp was right next to. If they sent some men over on a boat, then they could attack right at their centre.

Sying began to run, ignoring the shouts sounding around him. Those ships weren't going to leave the docks - not if he could help it. As he drew closer, Cai Mao looked up and saw him. He cursed, handing the plans to a nearby soldier, and drew his sword.

Sying leapt into the air, and slashed at Mao, who blocked it at the last minute. Sying's sword rebounded, but he swung with it, and slashed at Mao again. Mao brought his sword down, and blocked it again. Sying spun away, but not before Mao's sword nicked his arm.

Sying gasped in pain, and felt an unfamiliar flame of rage in his chest. He was _not_ going to get away with that.

"Say your prayers!" he roared. His sword began to flicker with lightning, and he unleashed a flurry of attacks upon Cai Mao, ending in a wave of lightning radiating from his body. Mao was flung into a nearby building, and knocked out, and all the unfortunate soldiers that were near him were killed instantly. Sying turned to Mao, to find a couple of sodiers carrying him off. That didn't matter, anymore. The attack had been averted -

"Quick! We need to launch, now!"

Sying span around to see a group of soldiers jump onto a boat that had begun to drift clear of the docks. Without pausing to think, he raised his staff, glaring intently at the boat. Which, without any warning, burst into flames. Later, Sying would wonder how this had happened, as there had been no tongue of fire, or ball of flames, but for the moment, boiling anger kept him moving.

He turned from the soldiers that were desperately jumping overboard, to find a large group of soldiers were watching him from a safe distance off. Good. They could stay there.

He marched back the way he had come, and then right. There was a base in the way, and its soldiers ran towards him, having not seen his display at the docks. Sying didn't pause in his stride, summoning a lightning bolt from the skies that struck the gate captain, and instantly killed all the surrounding soldiers. The remnants of Sying, Na, and Lings Tong and Cao's armies all cheered, and ran forwards. Sying blinked - he had forgotten the soldiers were there. He gave his head a slight shake, and strode into the base.

"Let's heat things up," he muttered under his breath. As soon as the words escaped his lips, the base spontaneously combusted. Sying allowed himself a small, humourless smile, before striding on through the burning masonry and out into the cool battlefield on the other side.

There were no soldiers here. It was perfectly calm, and there was no noise. So, they think they can ambush me? thought Sying. Let them try.

He strode on, senses suddenly alert for anything - the snap of a twig, the rustle of clothing - that would indicate the ambushers. Of course, said a small voice at the back of his head, you don't know there will be an ambush -

Sying suddenly stopped dead. An arrow whistled past where he would have been had he not stopped.

- But that's generally a good sign of an ambush. Sying smiled mirthlessly. It was always nice to be proven right.

He stood where he was, listening to the sound of footsteps approaching him from behind. In one fluid motion, he unsheathed his sword, and thrust it behind him. There was a gurgle, and Sying pulled his sword back, before sending out a wave of vorpal energy. He wasn't playing anymore.

He glared around at the surviving soldiers, daring them to try anything. When no one did, he strode on, towards where Huang Zu waited.

* * *

Lu Xun sat in silence across the tent from where Na lay. He hadn't moved since the healer had left to attend to Ling Tong. Shang Xiang had left to keep an eye on the track leading up to the camp. 

The healer had done what he could, healing the wound on Na's arm until only a faint, yet still noticable scar was left, but it hadn't been enough to wake Na up. The healer said that Na would awake when she was ready, but when would that be?

Xun sighed. Of all the things he had imagined would happen today, this was one of the worst. But what had actually happened? A soldier with an ordinary sword had slashed her, and she just collapsed? All right, the wound was practically gushing, and you could see the white of bone, but so what? He had seen veterans with worse wounds walk away -

But that was just it, wasn't it? They were used to being injured, they were used to the shock, they could deal with it. Poor Na, it was her first battle, and she wasn't used to the pain. It was probably just the pain, shock, and possibly blood loss...

In the chaos of Xun's mind, the little explanatory voice trailed off. He was babbling. In his head, admittedly, but wasn't it all the same in the end?

He looked across at Na. She wasn't as pale as she had been earlier, but she was still paler than normal. Xun sighed again. He hated feeling so useless, but there was nothing he could do.

"Xun! Hey, Xun!"

He looked up to see Shang Xiang running towards him. He watched as she drew level, a questioning look on his face.

"You won't believe this! Sying Long has only gone - on his own - and killed Huang Zu! We won the battle! Isn't it so great?" she burbled excitedly and slightly breathlessly. Xun said nothing. Shang Xiang noticed the expression on his face, and sighed.

"She'll be alright. The healer said so." she paused, before adding softly, "You like her, don't you?"

Xun stared at her, searching her face for any hint of laughter, but only finding sympathy. He sighed, and looked down at the floor.

"Yes. But I can't tell her... what if she doesn't like me back?" he said quietly. Shang Xiang sighed, and crouched down by her friend.

"Do you want me to find out for you?" she asked. Once again, Xun studied her face, before giving up.

"Don't make it too obvious, please!" he answered. Then, something that had been at the back of his mind was suddenly thrust forward.

"What about you? I notice you said about Sying Long before you said we won... you like him, don't you?" Xun saw Shang Xiang falter, before she carefully answered.

"I'm... not sure. It could be... but then again, what if it isn't?" she said quietly. She was silent for a minute or two, before the sound of revelling shook her out of her reverie. She stood up, and turned to Xun.

"Come on, we won! Let's celebrate!" she said, before catching Xun's expression. She sighed, and exited the tent.

Xun watched her go, deep in thought. He should feel happy. He should feel as though a great weight had been lifted from his chest. And, yet, he did - but from a distance. They had won the battle, he had finally confessed his love to somebody, but all he could think about was Na.

He desparately hoped that she would wake soon.

* * *

Sying looked around him. There were no soldiers left. Those who hadn't escaped, been killed, or forfeited had been captured. The battle was overHe turned around slowly, and began to walk back to the main camp. The bank of burning rage that had led him this far was dying down, and he could think clearly about what had happened. 

Most of it was a blur. He began to wonder just how many people he had actually killed - it must have been more than one hundred, he was sure of it. He looked up as he passed the area where Ling Cao had been killed. The surviving soldiers had already taken the bodies of the dead, and either buried them, or taken them back to the camp so they could be identified. He wondered briefly about how Ling Tong was taking his father's death, before remembering about Na.

His eyes widened, and he sped up. How could he have forgotten about his sister - the one person he had vowed to protect? He had to see how she was.

As he marched towards the distant firelight - it was near dusk at this point - he became aware of an incredible weariness that threatened to overwhelm him. But no - he set his jaw and marched on. He wouldn't allow himself to rest until he was sure Na was ok.

"There he is!"

"The man of the hour!"

"What kept you?"

The deluge of sound hit him like a wall. He blinked, but didn't drop his pace. He was aware of people trying to talk to him, to congratulate him, but he pushed them aside - his mind was concentrated on Na.

"Sying!"

He looked up, and his eyes met with those of Shang Xiang's. He changed his direction, and headed for her.

"Na's over here!" Shang Xiang said, leading the way to a tent that was set out of the way of the revellers. He ducked inside, and saw Na.

She lay on a low bed, her arm in a light dressing. She was quite still - you could only tell she was breathing by watching her for some time, and she was quite pale.

"The healer said she'd wake when she was ready." said a flat voice from the corner, who turned out to be Lu Xun.

Sying sighed.

"This is all my fault." he said quietly.

"How is it your fault? You were busy dealing with your own soldiers!" cried Shang Xiang.

"But I should have kept an eye on her..." Sying sighed again, and quietly walked out of the tent.

Shang Xiang watched him walk out, a look of disblief on her face, before sighing frustratedly, and following him. Xun watched them from the corner, but said nothing. He knew it wasn't Sying's fault, but he didn't really care at the minute. He hugged his knees closer to himself, and transferred his gaze back to Na. He was feeling... curiously empty inside.

Outside, Sying had wandered out of the ring of noise to a tree, which he was leaning on when Shang Xiang caught up with him. Sying looked up when he heard her, then turned his gaze aside. Shang Xiang marched up to him, and was about to demand what his problem was, when she noticed how tired and wrung-out he looked.

"You look dead on your feet." she said. Sying looked at her, slightly puzzled that she wasn't about to have a go at him, before a wave of exhaustion tugged at him.

"I feel it." he said quietly, sitting at the base of the tree. Shang Xiang hunkered down beside him.

"Why do you think it's your fault?" she asked him. He sighed, and looked away before answering.

"Before my Mother died, i promised to look after Na, and Na promised the same about me. Then she died, and Na saved me from the tiger. Now, it's my turn to save her, but I fail. Na will say that it doesn't matter, but it does matter to me. All my life, I've lived in Na's shadow. I try not to let it her me, but I can't help it sometimes. It's not her fault, but..." he trailed off.

"...I know how you feel." Sying looked at her. She gazed at the sky as she continued. "I've had to live in the shadow of my father and my brothers. You never met my father, but he was just, and clever, and strong. 'The Tiger of Jiang Dong'... then he was killed in an ambush. My brother, Ce - well, you saw him. He was popular, brave, strong, liked to have a good time. He gave us a land to call our own. People called him 'The Little Conqueror'. Paired up with Zhou Yu, he was unstoppable. Then, along came this Yu Ji, and his lies. My other brother, Quan - people will remember him as a just and fair leader, won't they? But me... they'll just remember me as the tomboy princess with a fiery temper, or something like that. And every day, you have to remind yourself that you're better than everyone at being you..."

Sying stared at her for a minute or two, with his mouth slightly open. He honestly hadn't thought of it like that.

"I never realised how -"

"Sying! Shang Xiang! Na's awake!"

It took a minute for what had been said to sink in, but when it did, they both scrambled to their feet, and ran over to the tent.

* * *

Na blinked. How had she got here? Wherever here was? 

"How are you feeling?"

Na looked around, and saw Xun.

"I'm ok." Now that the initial confusion was out of the way, she could see the expression on Xun's face. He looked... very relieved. Na's heart leapt. Was Xun relieved that she was ok? it looked like the only explanation. But was it as a friend, or...

"Where's Sying?" she asked.

"I'm here." said a voice from the tent entrance. Na propped herself up on her elbows, ignoring the warning stabs of pain from her arm and head, and watched her twin walk over. Next thing she knew, Sying had swept her up in a huge embrace, which she returned.

After they had released each other, she sneaked a glance at Xun. Did he look slightly... resentful? ...No, probably not. She shuffled back, into a sitting position.

"How did I get here, anyway?" she asked. The other three exchanged awkward looks, before Sying answered.

"Do you remember when Gan Ning turned up?"

"Vividly."

"well... someone took a chunk out of your arm. You killed them, then you... collapsed."

There was an awkward pause as Na waited for the rest of the explanation that wasn't coming.

"So... is that it? And I collapsed?" Na said, looking embarassed. then, she remembered something.

"How's Ling Tong, anyway?" Catching Xun and Shang Xiang's puzzled expressions, she added, "That Gan Ning killed Ling Cao right in front of him."

"What?" burst out Shang Xiang.

"Yeah, I helped him get rid of that pirate. I'd forgotten about him, to tell you the truth." said Sying.

"If I know Tong, he'll have found somewhere to mourn on his own. And, also, to swear his revenge. They were really close." said Xun.

"In that case, he'll probably want to be left alone. Come on, we won! Let's go celebrate!" said Shang Xiang.

"You go without me, I'm knackered. I must have used loads of magic..." Sying said, stifling a yawn.

"I'll turn in, too. After what happened today, I'll just be embarassed." Na answered, shrugging.

"I might." said Xun, non-comittally. Shang Xiang rolled her eyes.

"You're all a right boring lot, you know that?"

"At least we won't have monster hangovers tomorrow." said Xun, before instinctively ducking. When nothing came flying past him, he risked opening an eye. Shang Xiang shook her head, smiling amusedly before exiting.

Na swung her legs off the bed, and stood up, a bit uncertainly.

"Are you ok, Na?" Sying asked, appearing at her elbow.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a bit disorientated..." she shook her head, and walked out of the tent, with Sying following.

* * *

Na awoke to the sound of shouting. Propping herself up onto her elbow, she glanced accross at Sying. He was still soundly asleep. She smiled softly, before slipping out of bed, pulling on her shoes, and quietly exiting into the cool night air outside of their tent. 

Creeping silently through the shadows towards the shouting, she glimpsed other people crawling out of their tents, or being woken by the shouting. She followed the sounds of shouting throuhg the camp until she reached the main tent, where she dithered in the shadows, until a soldier ran past her. She quickly grabbed him, and dragged him into the shadows.

"What's going on?" she demanded.

"The pirate Gan Ning has surrendered to us, my Lady!" the soldier stuttered. Na let him go, and he ran off. Gan Ning, the strongest man under Huang Zu's command, was willingly surrendering to them? What about all the soldiers he had killed? What about -

She froze. What about Ling Tong?

Na bit her lip, and slipped off into the shadows again. Maybe it would look better in the morning...

* * *

**A/N:** Gasp! Gan Ning of the Bells has surrendered? Whatever will happen? I'll tell you when I decide. Toodles!  



	8. New Officer, New Worry

**A/N:** Time again for another chapter where nothing is for certain, and I make it up as I go along... Thanks to everyone who bothered to read or review my story, it's nice to be appreciated! Sorry this one didn't come out for ages, I kinda lost my inspiration. But it's here now!

**A/N2: **Just been rereading the story, and it makes no sense whatsoever, so when I've decided where the plot's going, I'll repost a chapter at a time so it's better and, most importantly,_ it will make sense! _

**Disclaimer:** (Facepalm) See the first 5 chapters.

* * *

"Na! Na, get up!" 

Na hugged her pillow, and opened one eye to look at her sibling.

"Come on, get up, Sun Quan has summoned us all to the main tent." Sying said, before going outside. Na groaned, releasing her pillow, pushed herself upright, and exited the tent.. The early morning was already pleasantly warm, and the breeze brought a lingering smell of salt from the nearby lake. Na stretched, straightening her clothing, as Sying stood a little way off, waiting for her.

"Any idea why Sun Quan wants us there?" she asked, yawning, as they set off for the main tent.

"Something about Gan Ning, I think. I don't see why, though, he won't be any trouble to us until his arm heals." Sying was suddenly aware he had walked the last few steps on his own. He turned to look at his sister, who had frozen. "What is it?"

"I don't think he wants to hinder us... I think he's decided to join us..." Na said hesitantly.

"What? What makes you... why do you think that?"

"Well... last night... I got woken up by shouting... when I went to look, a soldier told me that Gan Ning had surrendered to us, or something like that -" She froze again as she remembered something. "What about Ling Tong?"

Sying paused, before shaking his head, as if dislodging a thought.

"Let's worry about that later. We got summoned to the main tent ten minutes ago - and we could be both wrong." he said, before walking off. Na ran after him, and they continued to the main tent in silent contemplation.

"There you are!"

They both looked up as they entered the tent. All the other generals except Ling Tong were standing or sitting, waiting to be told why they had been summoned. They walked over to where Sun Shang Xiang and Lu Xun were waiting.

"Where's Tong?" asked Shang Xiang quietly as they got near.

"If this is what I think it's about, it's better if he isn't here." said Na solemnly. Shang Xiang was just going to ask why, when Sun Quan, who was seated at the head of the table, spoke up.

"Thank you all for coming at such short notice - please, sit." As they took their seats, he continued. "Before we begin, can I congratulate Sying Long for the victory last night." Sying went red at the polite applause, knowing that beide him Na was dreading the question that would almost definitely come next. Sun Quan seemed to notice Na's discomfort, however, and didn't enquire as to how she felt after she had collapsed. Instead, he turned to the rest of the generals, and told them the reason they were there.

"Last night, Gan Ning surrendered himself to us. He wants to join Wu. He is, as you know, a strong fighter, but many of you may carry a grudge against him after last night." He paused, before plunging on. "You should also know that one of the people Ning killed was Ling Cao. That is why Ling Tong is not present.

"Ning would be a valuable asset to our army, but we will have to keep an eye on Tong. He has already successfully broken Ning's arm, and I think we all know how unpredictable he can be." Down the table, Na, Sying, Shang Xiang and Xun shared a worried glance. "I want to hear all your opinions before I decide what to do with Ning." Quan looked to his right, where Shang Xiang was seated.

"As the princess of Wu, I am all for having Gan Ning join us. But as a friend of Ling Tong... I am worried."

Zhou Yu was next.

" It will be hard for Tong to accept it, but times are hard enough without capable warriors. Gan Ning has my vote."

It continued around the table until it reached the twins. Na was first of the two to speak.

"Ning is certainly an able warrior, and he may help give us the edge over Wei and Shu, but Tong was very close to his father..."

Sying nodded in agreement.

"Wu needs all the help it can get in this age of chaos, but Tong will need some time to accept that his fathers killer is now on his side."

Eventually, everyone had had their say on the matter, and they all watched Quan to see what the verdict would be.

"The chance to obtain such a strong officer is too good to pass up in these difficult times, but I want all of you to keep an eye on Ling Tong. Zhou Yu, Lu Meng, come with me. The rest of you, help the soldiers get ready to leave for home." he said, after thinking for a minute or two. The rest of the generals and officers stood, and filed out of the narrow tent entrance. When Na and Sying got outside, they dithered for a bit until Xun and Shang Xiang joined them.

"Why do I get the feeling that these next few months could be interesting?" said Na quietly.

"Someone's going to have to tell Tong. He'll be angry about the decision, but if he thinks Ning is still the enemy..." Sying ventured.

"We were given a task to do. Let's get that done before we worry about Tong and Ning." said Xun.

"Where is Tong, anyway?" asked Shang Xiang.

"I think he's with his father. And probably plotting a long and painful death for Ning, if I know him." said Na. "Come on, let's get those jobs done. We can tell Tong if we see him."

They all split up to lend the soldiers a hand with dismantling the tents and packing the crates of weaponry, each one of them worrying about what their friends reaction to the news would be.

* * *

With the added help of the generals, they were soon ready to go, and set off with plenty of time to spare before it got dark. 

The journey home was uneventful, and they arrived home a full hour before dark. In the confusion of cheering people, beaming soldiers, and people rushing to unpack, Na had no trouble in escaping to the quiet of her room. She flung herself down on the bed, suddenly exhausted after the dullness of the trip back and sudden explosion of life and sound all around her.

She raised her hand to cover her eyes. The lurking suspicion of a migraine suddenly hit her full force. The light through the window was too bright, the twittering birds a sudden crescendo of pain - even thinking seemed painful.

She lay on her bed, bathed in pain, when she suddenly noticed that her arm was red hot where she had been slashed. She gingerly prodded at the wound with her other hand, but the pain stayed the same.

So, an infection, then? But the sword the soldier slashed her with hadn't had any rust on it, and it had looked clean enough, though she had only got to glance at it. Oh well. It wasn't like an _infection_ could kill her.

The migraine, on the other hand...

"You ok, Na?"

She looked over at the doorframe where her brother was standing.

"Got a bad migraine." she said, grimacing at the pain. Sying stood, watching her, for a minute, until he made up his mind.

"I'll tell them you're not feeling well, then. I imagine that people shouting and singing VERY badly won't be too good for a sore head. I'll be back at the end of the meal, then." he said, grinning. Na managed a small smile back at him as he turned to leave.

After he had gone, she slumped down into the pillows. It felt like all her energy had been sapped out of her, yet the pain seemed to be still growing. It was nearly unbearable. Maybe she'd feel better after some sleep...

* * *

Ling Tong was also staying away from the celebrations. He had travelled home in the same cart as his father, and had stayed with the body since it had been taken to the crematorium. It was the tradition for accomplished warriors to be cremated, then their ashes scattered around the land, after death. 

He couldn't have joined in the celebrations, anyway. He was only just getting over the shock of losing his father - it seemed wrong to be celebrating the battle that had killed him, even if they had won.

And there was something else as well. Sying Long's first battle, and what does he do? Storms the battlefield, sets fire to the bases, and kills the enemy commander. He wasn't too sure what had happened to Na - she had just vanished from the battlefield sometime just after that - that... Tong's fists balled themselves as he relived, yet again, that fateful minute when his father had been snatched from him.

There had been some sort of commotion the morning after the battle. He wasn't quite sure what it had been. He had just wanted to be left alone with his father.

"Thought you'd be in here." came a voice from the doorway. Tong didn't bother to look up as the owner approached him.

"You're not going to the celebration, Shang Xiang?" he said, flatly.

"I thought I'd see how you were holding up. I remember when I lost my father. I secluded myself, when I should have surrounded myself with friends." She paused, and looked at him. "Just don't beat yourself up about it - you did all you could."

"I should have killed that pirate while I had the chance." he said, but with no particular malice. Shang Xiang gazed at her friend, battling in her mind whether or not to tell him the news. Her nerve failed her, however, and she just sighed and left.

When she reached the party, it was already in full swing. She threaded her way over to where Xun and Sying stood, wondering where Na was.

"She's got a migraine." Sying said, before Shang Xing could open her mouth. She furrowed her brow.

"Sorry, are we talking about the same person? Na's never ill - she's the only person I know who hasn't got a cold after diving fully clothed into the river then running around for an hour or two." Shang Xiang said, suspiciously

"I know - this is the first time I can remember her being ill since she was born." said Sying.

"You reckon being slashed with a sword has anything to do with it?" said Shang Xiang.

"Unless there was poison on the sword, or it was dirty or something, I can't see how, and it's very unlikely it _would_ be poisoned." said Xun.

Shang Xiang deftly snatched some wine from a passing tray a servant was carrying as she spoke again.

"Let's just enjoy ourselves for now. We can check up on Na afterwards." she said, before taking a sip. "Ooh, the vintage stuff, you must have done well for Quan to crack open this stuff, Sying. He's really tight when it comes to wine. I don't see why, though - he ends up drinking most of it himself!" Shang Xiang laughed at the half amused expressions on their faces. "Come on - it's a party! Enjoy yourselves!" she said, before whirling off into the midst of the revelling, where a few people were already attempting to dance.

Sying sighed.

"I'd enjoy myself if I knew Na was ok, but I'm just worried about her." he said, as quietly as the surrounding noise allowed.

"I'm worried, too. If you'd have seen what I've seen... I wouldn't wish that on anyone, especially Na." Xun said, glumly. Something about the way he said the last bit made Sying look at him.

"What? Do you fancy her, or something?" he asked, suddenly fascinated. Xun looked up at his friends face, but found no trace of humour. He dropped his gaze back to the floor before answering.

"For over three years - ever since I found you two." he said, just loud enough for Sying to hear.

"And you still haven't told her?" Sying said increduously.

"Well... what if she doesn't like me back?" Xun said. Sying laughed out loud.

"Is that all? Of course she likes you! Haven't you noticed yet?" Sying said, laughing. Xun looked up at Sying, bewildered but hopeful.

"How do you know that, though?" he said, not quite hiding the hope in his voice.

"Try sharing a tent with her and not noticing. She mutters in her sleep - she dreams about you a lot, from what I've heard her say. And she's always looking in your direction. You just watch her next time she's around you." Sying said. Xun considered this for a minute or two until he thought of something.

"If she likes me so much, why hasn't she asked me out?" he asked, brow furrowed. Sying shrugged non-commitally.

"She's shyer than you think, and a lot more so around you. Maybe she thinks you don't like her; I don't know. She doesn't tell me _everything_."

Xun stared into the far distance as he considered this. Sying smiled at the bemused expression on Xun's face, but suddenly his expression froze. He nudged Xun urgently.

"Xun, I think Na's in trouble!"he said, just as Shang Xiang appeared from out of the crowd.

"Well, that quickly got boring - What's wrong?" she asked as she caught his expression.

"It's Na. I think - I know - she's in trouble." he said, desperately looking for the door.

"How do you know?" said Xun.

"I just do. Now come on!"

Sying began threading his way through the revellers towards the door. Xun and Shang Xiang exchanged glances and followed him.

Sying reached the door, and began to run. People passed him in a protesting blur, but the only thing on his mind was his sister.

He finally burst through her door to find Na lying motionless on the bed. He walked over to the bed, and shook her.

"Na! Na, wake up!" he said. When Na didn't respond, he shook her again, harder.

Xun and Shang Xiang entered the room to hear him muttering frantically

"Come on, wake up, please, come on, Na, wake up..."

Xun crossed the room to where Na was, and laid a hand across her brow.

"She's got a bad temperature... and her pulse is humming... we need a medic in here, NOW." Xun said as he checked Na over. Shang Xiang ran out into the corridor, and grabbed a passing servant.

"Get a medic here, quick!" she said. The servant knew better than to ask questions, and ran off.

When Shang Xiang went back into the room, she found Sying frantic with worry.

"It's all my fault... I should have protected her... why her? Why not me? Oh, man, I hope she'll be ok... I shouldn't have let her get hurt... it's all my fault..." he muttered as he paced the room.

Shang Xiang glanced over to the bed, where Xun was taking care of Na, and smiled slightly. The idiot had realised at last, then...

"Hey, look at this..."

Shang Xiang and Sying went over to the bed, where Xun was checking Na's arm. The wound that had been just a small scar yesterday was now swollen, and red hot to the touch.

"I'm pretty certain that the sword gave her an infection... or possibly poisoned her." Xun said, quietly.

Sying sighed helplessly, and crossed to the small window. He stared out into the now inky blackness, and saw a star twinkling. As he watched, it got weaker, and weaker, flickering all the time.Without thinking, he knew it was Na's star, and stared at it, willing it not to wink out of existance forever.

* * *

**A/N:** Xunnie finally knows about Na, and now she's ill! Whatever will happen? Who knows? Well, I do, but _apart_ from me, who knows? See you next time on the installment that may or may not make sense! Toodles! 


	9. Who Fancies A Game Of Go?

**A/N:** Sorry this chapter wasn't posted earlier. I've had writers block, cute little psycotic kittens wielding claws, transfer projects, a new school to get used to, and a badly twisted ankle to battle through. But I'm back, and still marginally sane, so I hope you enjoy this next chapter. (I apologise in advance for the messed-up time scale)

**Disclaimer:** I didn't own the rights when I started, and I sure as hell don't now. Apart from the twins, Sying Long and Na Mei. So there.

* * *

There was darkness all around. That was a bit of a shock. How did that get there? 

That was a stupid question. It would probably get a stupid answer.

There was also complete silence. Not the silence of thousands of everyday, little background noises. Complete and utter silence that felt like a vaccuum.

Well, this was new. But, and this was the suprising bit, it wasn't scary. There was nothing to be scared of, and being scared of nothing was stupid.

Out of the endless void, there floated a picture. It was of a young woman, wielding twin maces. She was outside a small hut, made of mud bricks and straw thatching. _Was it... home? And Mother? _

The picture of the woman passed, and another one floated past. It was of a man, this time. He was tall, and he looked immensly strong. He was wielding an evil looking haleberd, and wore some strange antennae things on his ornate head piece. He was standing proudly in a field of bloody corpses. _Father? What's going on? _

As soon as the image had passed, another one emerged. This time it was of a small boy. He was sat on the ground, crying. In front of him was a broken urn._ I remember that urn... he boke it years ago. Mother was furious with him. Oh, where are you now, Sying?_

The image rolled past as another one appeared. They seemed to be getting faster and faster. This time, it was another boy, but he was 15. He was flushing slightly, but nodded curtly. He wore red clothes that revealed his stomach, and a winged hat. _Lu Xun... you ever looked that young? You're so much older now. Oh, I wish you were here now... I need some support..._

The pictures drifted past... the Wu palace; Sun Ce sitting on the throne; Sun Shang Xiang sitting in a tree and laughing; Lu Xun down at the docks, spilling his past; weapons practice on the dummies; the burned ruin of their hut; the look of fear on the villagers faces; the tiger that had mauled Sying before it was killed; Lu Xun's face...

The flying images rose to a blur of white, which slowly faded to reveal a green pasture.

"Na!"

Na turned to see Lu Xun and Sying Long emerging from the shrubbery behind her. She ran over and hugged them, feeling a lump in her throat.

"Na, you have to beat it. You can do it." Xun whispered in her ear.

"Beat what?" she said, confused.

"You'll know when the time is right. You'll know what to do. Go with your gut." said Sying.

"What do you mean?" Na cried out.

"You must beat it. Don't let us down." said Xun, handing her the Twin Wonders. Na took them, just as a twig snapped behind her. She span around to see a sickly green giant.

"Good luck!" came a faint voice, that became a whisper on the breeze. Na knew with a sudden certainty she was all alone. Alone with this hideous green thing.

"What are you?" she shouted at it. It turned its ashen head towards Na.

"I Am Your Death."

Something about the leaden tones it spoke in froze her, so she just had enough sense of survival to leap to the side. As the giant lumbered past with suprising speed, the greenery withered and wilted into a brown mush. The leaves fell of the trees, and soon the whole clearing was a mass of dead and dying shrubbery.

Na scrambled to her feet, and turned to face the monster. It laughed as it turned to her.

"You Are Brave, But I Will Win!" it roared, before rushing at her again. This time, she was too slow, and the monster sliced her arm in the same place the sword had slashed it, and all of a sudden, she knew. The man who had slashed her had poisoned her, and now she was fighting for her life. And losing.

Red hot rage coursed through her as she stood up and turned again to the monster.

"Is that all you've got, Bogeyman?" she snarled. Before the horrible apparation could react, she ran up to it, jumping at the last minute, and thrusting with her twin wonders. The blades were buried up to the hilt in the monster's ashen flesh, and before her eyes, it withered, the remains sagging like a dirty old sack.

As the monster vanished, Na stood up, with her blades dripping. Without knowing quite why, she let out a primal scream of rage. As she screamed, the life flooded back into the little clearing. The trees and bushes sprouted leaves; the withered flowers sprang upright and practically glowed. As the scream ended, the scene faded into darkness.

And Na opened her eyes.

"Na?"

Na blinked at the ceiling, before looking at her brother.

"Sying?" she said. Sying emitted a dry sob before pulling his sister into a bone-crunching hug.

"Oh, god, we were so worried... thank god you're okay... I was so worried for you..."Sying murmured into her shoulder, tears flooding down his face. Na sat up and hugged him back, tears making their way down her face.

"Na? Na!"

"Xun!"

Xun ran over and joined in the hug. They stayed in the embrace for several minutes.

"You were unconscious for 5 days, we thought you'd never wake up..." said Sying.

"...You mean I nearly died."

It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Xun and Sying exchanged uneasy glances.

"Lord Sying! Lady Sun wants to see you."

They all turned to the doorway where a messenger stood.

"Can it wait?" Sying asked.

"I don't think so, my lord."

Sying sighed.

"Tell her I will be up in a few minutes." Sying turned back to Na, hugging her before leaving. As he reached the doorway, he paused, and turned back to her. "Take it easy, alright?" he said, a playful grin on his lips.

Na watched him go in silence.

"...Na...I...I..."

She turned back to Xun, her heart in her throat. _Was he...?_

"Yes?" she gently prompted._ Please say what I think you're going to say..._

"I..." Xun swallowed nervously. "I've wanted to say this since the day I met you, but I've never found the courage..." He paused again, screwing up his dwindling courage. When he spoke, it came out in a rush.

"I love you. I've always loved you. At first I didn't realise it, but it's true. When you were unconscious, I thought that was it. I'd had my chances. I thought I'd lost you forever..."

He was suddenly silenced as Na pressed her lips to his. When they broke apart, Na stared deep into Xun's eyes.

"I've always loved you, too."

* * *

Sun Shang Xiang sat in front of her mirror, nervously pulling a brush through her thick auburn hair. _Was she doing the right thing? _

She had just put her brush back on the dresser when someone cleared their throat behind her.

"You wanted to see me?" Sying said as she turned to face the door. Shang Xiang stood up and walked over to him.

"Do you love me?" she asked. Sying blinked, momentarily stunned.

"W...why do you ask?" he managed to say.

"Because I think I love you." she said softly, and watched as a grin slowly appeared on Sying's face. Her heart skipped a beat as she mirrored his huge grin.

Pulling him inside the room, she grabbed him around the waist and kissed him. Sying froze at the sudden contact, but instantly relaxed into the kiss. He was beginning to realise how much he loved this woman - her touch was electrifying, her smell the finest fragrance in the world. He ran her hands up and down Shang Xiangs back, pulling her deeper into the kiss.

Eventually, and reluctantly, they broke apart.

"Will your brother approve?" Sying asked.

"Will your sister approve?" she countered. "Besides, he's desparate for me to get married, and he certainly approves of you. Who wouldn't, after you single-handedly scared the hell out of the enemy soldiers _and_ took down the man responsible for Wu's founding father's death?"

"That was a long time ago - I'm sure people will have forgotten by now."

"You'd be surprised. Anyway, how is your sister?"

Sying's face split into a pumpkin grin.

"She woke up five minutes ago."

"That's great!"

Smiling at each other, they slipped their arms around the others waists and kissed again.

* * *

"Alright, people, enough chatter. We've just recieved wod that Wei is moving their entire naval fleet up the Chang Jiang.We need to intercept them before they reach us. The ideal intercept point is near Chi Bi, but we'll need to move out next week if we want to get there on time." 

Various officers shifted uncomfortably in their chairs as Zhou Yu continued, pushing wooden figures around on a map.

"We will be allied with Shu during this battle. I know some of you have enmities with some of the Shu officers, but we must put these aside for the sake of victory." Several officers grinned - Yu's own personal differences with Zhuge Liang were well known. "The Wei forces vastly outnumber us, but we should be able to come up with a plan to ensure our victory. Also, if we win this battle, we will need to have some of you further up the river in case Cao Cao tries to escape. Please begin preparations for this battle - on no accounts will it be easy. I will send a mesage around when the details are decided."

Sying, Shang Xiang, Xun, and Na exited the meeting hall together. It was unseasonably hot, and all everyone could think of was the cool water of the spring at the other end of the palace grounds.

"What do you make of this proposed battle, then?" said Sying conversationally.

"Well, Cao Cao is after Liu Bei, which is why they've allied with us. They have at least twice as many men as us, as well as boats, but the Sun family was practically brought up on a boat, so we have the advantage naval-wise. Plus, Yu has the pleasure of devising a plan with Zhuge, but at least Huang Gai is there to stop Yu killing Zhuge..." Xun trailed off. Na, Shang Xiang, and Sying were all staring at him. He shrugged nervously. "Hey, you learn a lot when you're training to be a strategist."

"It could be an interesting battle, then. You think Cao Cao really means business?" said Shang Xiang as they emerged into the pleasant sunlight outside.

"There's no such thing as a half-hearted battle, Shang. I heard that Xiahou Yuan and Zhang Liao are going to be there. They're tough opponents once they get going." said Xun. "You'll be ok, anyway. Quan won't let you go to the front - he'll probably make sure you're with the party down the river waiting to get Cao Cao when he tries to escape. You know how he is - he won't want his only baby sister to go injuring herself. That is, if he lets you go at all."

They approached the spring just as a gentle breeze struck up. It had been fully a month since Na had recovered from the poison - in that time, Ling Tong had discovered about Gan Ning's newfound loyalty, and had already attempted to kill him, and, of course, there had been an increase of Shu people in the region.

The four friends sank gratefully down onto the grass, trailing their fingers in the cool water, and chatting idly.

"You've finally got together then, you two." said Sying, propping himself up with his elbows, a playful grin on his face.

"So have you and Shang." Na countered lightly.

"It won't be long before the rest of the castle, or at that, the rest of China, know about us. The walls might not be full of ears, but the servants certainly are." said Shang Xiang, rolling onto her back and squinting up into the cloudless sky.

"And? What does it matter that people know who is together with who? All it does is turn into gossip." said Sying.

"Talking of gossip, you're still all the rage down in the town. I wouldn't be suprised if even Wei knew about you." Shang Xiang shuffled closer to the spring. "Which means, either the Wei soldiers will take one look at you and run, or they'll target you. Same goes for you, Na. I know for a fact we always target the strongest person first - Wei will probably be the same."

Na and Sing glanced at each other, suddenly worried. Xun noticed the sudden tension.

"You'll be okay. We don't even know you'll be up at the front yet - you might be one of those stationed down the river to catch Cao Cao."

"And the chances of that are? They won't want to waste 'our talents' on something that may never happen. Cao Cao has never run as far as I know." said Na.

They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes, before Shang Xiang broke it.

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it, really. We might as well just sit back and let it happen. Whatever it is. I mean, come on, it's a lovely day, the siun is shining and the spring is nice and cool. Let's enjoy it while it lasts."

"Yeah, you're right. Come on, we could be doing anything! Who fancies a game of Go?" said Na brightly.

"We don't have a board." pointed out Xun.

"We can get one! Come on, You versus me, and Sying versus Shang. Winners play each other."

They whiled away the rest of the day until the sun sank below the horizon. As expected, Xun won both games, with Shang Xiang a close second. As they packed up the board, Na laughed.

"I suppose we should have known better than to challenge a strategist to a game like this. Come on, I reckon the evening meal should be ready now."

"Oh, that reminds me. We're eating with the Shu generals. You and Sying are lucky - you get to sit together. I'll be stuck on the Royal table, talking about strategies for the upcoming battle." Shang Xiang said, pulling a face.

"Hey, I'll be up there, too. If you think it's bad, try being the one they quiz on tactics all the time. Not fun." Xun said glumly.

They reached the entrance to the palace, and entered in silence. Inside, there seemed to be more servants than usual bustling around.

"Oh, hang on a minute, I need to get changed." said Na as they passed the staircase.

"Ok, I'll get you a seat." said Sying as Na started up the stairs.

She went up to her room, quickly rifled through her clothes until she found the right ones, and ducked behind the screen in the corner. As she emerged, she heard a slight rustle from out on the balcony. Fastening her belt, she carefully went out into the pleasantly warm night air, and looked around.

"Must have imagined it." she muttered to herself as she entered her room again. Shoving a few extra things into her pockets, she braced herself for the evening of male bravado that was to come, and went down into the hall again.

A dark shape hangingin the ivy below the balcony grinned to itself. After making sure she wasn't coming back, it flipped easily onto the jutting balcony and inspected the crumbling brickwork. When it had satisfied itself, it moved into Na's room, chuckling darkly.

"So that's who they're after. She doesn't look so tough, but..."

The shape pulled something out of it's cloak, placing it inconspicuously in a drawer, glanced around, and hopped out of the window where it disappeared into the shadows.

* * *

**A/N:** Finally I have reached the end of the chapter! (Does a lil victory dance)... Ahem. Yes. Well, if any of you have any suggestions or ideas as to where the hell I am going with this, please review and tell me! We can save the story yet! Toodles for now!  



	10. An Evil Plot

**A/N: **As it's the holidays, I promise to post a LOT more on this story. The good thing is, I have worked out the plot! I know, I know, it's quite an achievement on a story which is made up as I go along... anyway, back in the land of the sane... Hope you enjoy this chapter, sorry if it's a bit patchy. That will be because the cute lil psycho kittens with claws that I mentioned before seem to _love_ jumping into my lap and fighting... Also, I apologise for any OOCness from any of the characters... now read the damn thing.

**Disclaimer: **Oh, go away. If you haven't got the idea by now, you never will. It's been _ten freaking chapters_, for crying out loud...

* * *

And now the strategy was finished down to the last tiniest detail, the soldier's positions were plotted on the map, the orders were given, and the officers sat on their horses, nervously fingering their blades in anticipation for the battle. Na and Sying rode side by side on near identical horses, staring up the river at the oncoming Wei naval force and shivering slightly. Down the river, where Cao Cao was to escape, if he was at all, Shang Xiang pulled herself up into a tree, the better to keep an eye on the proceedings, and helping prepare for the wounded, Xun scurried around with the rest of the medics. The atmosphere was electric as the final preparations were made, and as people shuffled into position, even the wildlife was silent. It was the quiet before the storm. 

Sying glanced across at his sister. She met his gaze, and nodded slightly. He returned the gesture, and turned back to the ships. The twins had been placed in the middle of the front line - from that position they were able to help others and cut a path straight through the Wei troops - and now they sat in wait for the battle to begin.

Suddenly, there was a thud and jolt as the boats drifted together, and soldiers clad in the blue of Wei flooded over the side to be met by swords and spears. The twins leapt into action, Na slashing with her fearsome Twin Wonders, and flashes of a blade charged up with pure elemental power came from Sying's direction.

Just as the first wave disintegrated, a messenger ran up to them.

"Lord Pang Tong of Shu requests assistance with destroying the bridges connecting the ships!" he said, panting, before plunging on to the next general.

"I'll go! You hold the front!" Na shouted over the noise of clashing blades and gristly noises, before galloping off. As she neared the bridge in question, she wasn't suprised to find a sub-general and a few dozen soldiers keeping watch on the front line. They began coursing towards her, making clumsy hacks at her in an attemt to unsadle her. Na gripped the nervous horse between her knees and picked off the soldiers huddled around her.

Out of nowhere a blade came, aimed at her stomach. She was forced to somersault backwards off the skittish creature, but managed to scythe a couple of heads off in the process.

As she stood up, the soldiers spread out in a wary circle around her. As she turned to view them all, one came at her from behind. She span around, holding her blade at stomach level, and heard a satisfying scream as it made contact. A few more soldiers closed in on her, forcing her to side-kick one of them, before a quick somersault took care of the rest of them.

All that was left was a couple of soldiers, and the sub-general. Taking care not to let her guard drop, Na peered at the sub-generals face.

"You're Cai Mao, aren't you?"

The braver soldier ran at her from behind. Without even looking, she thrust one of her weapons behind her, and straight into the stomach of the soldier.

"Remember the guy who whipped you at Xia Kou?" she said to the motionless sub-general.

The other soldier chose this minute to creep up on her. Na did a couple of somersaults, holding her Twin Wonders out vertically. When she landed, the luckless soldier's head was rolling away, and the body collapsed in a growing pool of blood. Na turned back to Mao, who hadn't moved, scraping a bit of hair out of her face as she approached him.

"I'm his sister." she hissed, before launching into a volley of attacks. More by luck than anything, he blocked most of the attacks, and even got a couple of slashes of his own in. Na gritted her teeth, crouched down low, stuck her leg out, and took Mao's legs out from underneath him. He landed heavily, and watched sullenly from the ground as Na advanced.

"It won't work, you know." he muttered. Na hesitated.

"What won't?" she said. Mao grinned.

"Na!"

She turned around to see Sying run up to her. He also seemed to have lost his horse. She turned around to Mao just in time to see him scramble up and run. Cursing softly, Na flipped a small knife from her belt, and threw it after him. It hit him in the arm, but he carried on running.

"Leave him, Na." said Sying, coming up level with her.

"Why are you here?" she asked, turning to him. He shrugged.

"The soldiers know what they should be doing. I left someone in charge of your unit, too. All the soldiers were dead down there, anyway. I just want to get this over with."

He took a couple of steps forward.

"Shall we get going?" he said over his shoulder. Na nodded, and followed her brother off the bridge.

They had only taken a couple of steps when there was a large splash behind them. They span around to see that the bridge was gone. Sying shrugged.

"We'll be fine." he said, flicking his sword out of it's hilt in the staff. Further up the ship, several soldiers had noticed them, and had begun to run. Sying's sword began to glow faintly as he summoned the elements. Na looked down to see that her blades were also beginning to glow. She blinked, before looking up at the rapidly nearing soldiers. Dropping into a battle stance, she waited until the right moment before quickly unleashing a volley of attacks. From the corner of her eye, she could see Sying deal a few blows with his elementally charged blade that took out several soldiers. She ducked, slashed, kneed, and stabbed her way through the soldiers, but more and more kept coming. Sighing in frustration, she dived back into the fray.

Sying, on the other hand, had stopped fighting. Retreating behind the whirring shield that was his sister, he summoned the only element that could deal with all the soldiers surrounding them. After several seconds furious mumbling, and a couple of vague guestures, he theatrically raised one arm to the heavens before bringing it swishing down like the blade of a guillotine. Above them, the clouds broiled furiously before an almighty bolt of lightning speared down from the centre. Na jumped back as the bolt struck the soldier in the middle of the brawl, and spread out in a shockwave that killed every soldier it touched.

Na turned to Sying with a look of admiration in her eyes, before turning back to the scene of carnage before them.

The twins ploughed on, killing all the soldiers that dared to challenge them, before finally reaching the ship that Cao Cao stood on.

"He's mine." Sying growled when they saw the Wei ruler. Na dispatched the soldier she was fighting, and turned to see Sying marching determinedly towards Cao Cao. She was beginning to worry. Didn't the other Wu generals need assistance? What had happened to the plan that was so carefully and thoroughly constructed? But she knew even as she ran after her brother that they'd just passed the line of turning back.

Cao Cao turned to face them as they approached. A strange smile was on his face, and something that had been bothering Na for the last minute or so finally made itself known. Her eyes widened as she realised. There were no soldiers; the thing Mao had mentioned before running, and now the expression of total and utter delight and greed dominating Cao Cao's face: It was a trap.

"Sying! No! It's-" Na's desparate cry was cut off as Mao stepped out of the shadows and used the blade of his hand on the back of her neck. Sying paused, and turned back to see Na collapse on the ground.

"Na!" He cried, beginning to run back to her. He had only gone a couple of steps when Cao Cao swiftly smashed the hilt of his weapon into the side of his head. As purple spots exploded in front of his eyes, he reached out for his sister, and silently crumpled to the ground as the light faded.

* * *

From her perch in the tree, Shang Xiang knew something was wrong. Her gut suddenly clenched as she watched the entire Wei army retreat onto the main ships, and even as she looked on, they began to detatch from the rest of the fleet. She desparately scanned the remaining ships for any sign of Sying or Na, but they were nowhere in sight. She turned her gaze to the departing ships, and immediately felt nauseous as she saw a couple of figures clad in red being dragged across the deck of the leading ship. Even from that distance the little distinguishing features of the twins were clear, and she knew that their two best warriors were in great danger at the hands of Wu's mortal enemy. 

"My lady! Are you okay?"

Shang Xiang dropped her horrified gaze to see a couple of her bodyguards peering up at her concernedly. She jumped down out of the tree and landed unsteadily. The bodyguards looked at each other, before one climbed up the tree to see what had disturbed their mistress so. She gasped as she saw the Wei ships pulling away, immediately dropping down from amongst the branches.

"The Wei army is retreating!" she hissed at the other woman.

"And they've taken Na and Sying with them..." came the shakey voice of Shang Xiang from behind them. They both turned around to see the princess on her horse, scanning the horizon for the path down to the main camp. As the worried women opened their mouths to protest, Shang Xiang took off on her horse.

As the low branches whipped at her, she only thought of reaching the main camp. She didn't want to give herself the chance to think about the horrors the twins were facing. But then she thought of something - the little tent village of the medics, where Xun was helping, was in her path. Xun had to know that Na was in danger.

She lowered herself on the horse and urged it on through several copses and over a couple of streams, before she finally caught sight of the tent Xun was working in. As she neared, Xun walked out of the tent, looking around for the source of the hoofbeats.

"Shang! What are you doing here?" he asked in suprise.

"Xun, it's Na... Wei got her and Sying... they only came here to get them, and now they have... god, they're in so much danger!" she managed to sob.

"What? How do you know?" Xun asked, visibly paled.

"I saw them... The whole of the Wei army has retreated, and I saw Na and Sying being dragged off on the main ship..."

"How did you know it was them?"

"I just did, Xun! They're in so much danger..." she broke down into uncontrolled sobs. Xun stared at her for a couple of seconds before vanishing back into the tent. There was a bit of muffled conversation before he reemerged, nervously fingering the hilt of one of his swords, and swung himself up onto the back of his own horse.

* * *

"I don't want to know _how_ they retreated, Yu, I want to know _why_! Last I heard, a whole army doesn't just retreat when they appear to have the upper hand!" Quan said hotly. 

"My lord, I don't know why they retreated." Yu calmly told him. "Are all the generals back?" he asked a runner that had just entered the tent. The runner bowed to them both before replying.

"My lords, all the generals are outside apart from Lord Huang Gai, Lord Sying Long and Lady Na Mei." he told them slightly breathlessly.

"Huang Gai wanted to check none of the Wei officers are waiting to ambush us, and Sying Long and Na Mei were right at the front line anyway." Yu muttered to himself before dismissing the runner, who bowed again before exiting. Yu turned back to Quan.

"If all the generals are back safely, that rules out capture, and I doubt very much they managed to discover our plan. We will have to wait for the twins and Huang Gai to return. In the meantime, I have sent a message to those stationed further up the river to return immediately. There is a chance one of them can shed some light on the situation." he said.

"Hmm." Quan stumped off to his seat, and sat down, his head rested on his fist.

The tense silence was broken by Huang Gai entering the tent. He nodded to Yu, and bowed to Quan.

"My lord," he said to Quan, "There are no ambush parties or soldiers left on our ships apart from the dead."

Quan nodded.

"Did you see Sying Long or Na Mei?" he asked.

"No, my lord." Gai said, bowing low before exiting the tent. Yu turned to Quan again.

"Maybe we should ask the other generals if they have seen them?" he suggested. Quan waved it off.

"They'll turn up."

Once again, silence descended like a gloomy shroud, briefly punctuated by the everyday background noises from outside. The truth was, Quan was worried. Very worried. He knew Cai Mao was one of the opposing sub-generals in the battle, and he had been present at the death of his father, and someone who could carry a grudge for a long time. And he also knew that Sying Long had defeated him at Xia Kou.

He sighed, just as someone else entered the tent. He looked up to see the worried and tear-stained face of Shang Xiang, closely followed by Lu Xun.

"Shang!" he said as he stood up. "What's up?"

"The Wei army has Na and Sying!" Shang Xiang blurted out.

"What? How do you know?" said Quan, taking an involuntary step backwards. He fell silent as Shang Xiang told him what she had seen.

"But why would they go to so much trouble just to capture Sying and Na?" she finished.

"There's any amount of reasons. They're by far our best warriors, Cai Mao will want to get Sying back for the defeat at Xia Kou, you say you saw Na take him down this time, or they could just have been in the wrong place at the wrong time." Yu explained. "But, like you said, they are in great danger. May I suggest an emergency meeting?" He addressed this last part to Quan, who nodded.

"Shang, you might want to go splash some water on your face first." he said. She nodded, sniffing, and exited the tent.

"Xun, if you could tell the others to come in..." said Yu. Xun nodded.

He stepped outside, and as he told the other generals what was going on, he couldn't help wondering if he was ever going to see Na alive again.

* * *

**A/N:** Muahahahaha! I am evil, aren't I? As I said, sorry for any OOCness. Once again, I enjoyed writing that. There's something about mindless violence that's quite relaxing... Aaanyway, enough of my semi-sane ramblings, please review! And I'll see y'all when we catch up with Na and Sying (I'm quite looking forward to writing that P). Toodles, people!  



	11. Torture

**A/N: **I apologise now for the treatment I am gonna have to force the twins through, but it's crucial to the story! The sooner this chapter is over, the sooner...the next chapter can go up. Please don't kill me! And I'm sorry if any of the characters are OOC.

**Disclaimer:** Puh-lease, people...

* * *

Sying groaned, rolling over and lying on his back. He tried to open his eyes, but immediately clamped them shut against the harsh light coming from a barred window. Eventually he managed to force them open enough to get a look at his surroundings. Cautiously raising himself onto his elbows, he blinked as he took in the severe grey walls, floor, and door. Soon, he thought, I'm going to be in a lot of pain, and then I'll _really _regret making the effort to wake up. 

He was in the process of dragging himself into a seated position, when something struck him. Hang on, wasn't I just on a ship? In fact, wasn't I just on several ships? Then how the hell did I-?

He gave an involuntary groan as the train of memory hit him just as the sledgehammer of pain paid him a visit. Did I really go marching after Cao Cao? God, I'm such an idiot. Na noticed -

Na! Is she alright? I should have paid more attention to her. She tried to tell me, but I just wanted to get the battle over. Why, _why_ didn't I spot that it was a trap?

Sying punched the ground next to him angrily. This is all my fault. It's all my fault if we never see Wu again - if I never see Shang Xiang again.

"Oh, god..." he muttered, dropping his head into his hands. He didn't look up as the door opened, and someone stumbled in.

"Sying!"

"Na?" Sying looked up to see his sister limping towards him. "Are you okay?"

"I'll live. What about you?"

"I'll live." he replied, grinning slightly. In reality, he had a pounding headache from Cao Cao's sword hilt, a painful gash on his upper arm, and what he suspected to be several cracked ribs, but he didn't want to worry his sister any more as she carefully lowered herself down next to him, grimacing slightly.

"Where were you when I woke up?"

"Well, I woke up a couple of days ago. I reckon I was out of it for a couple of hours. When I came to, we were still on the boat, and we got here about a day ago. By my reckoning, we're in a Wei fort just the other side of the Wu territory border, which means that if we get a chance to escape, we can soon be safe. And they took me out of the room just now to try and intimidate me..." she fell silent.

Sying glanced at his twin, and saw the fear and panic that had captured her and that was holding her hostage.

"It's going to be okay, Na. As long as we stay together, we can make it." he said gently.

"But how do you know that?" Na asked, tears welling up and spilling down her face. "You weren't sitting in that room, all alone, thinking of nothing but 'is he alright?', not knowing at all what was happening to you, if you were even _there_, and you weren't sat there, not even sure if your twin was _alive_..." she started to sob loudly, curling up into a ball to fend off the world. Sying looked on helplessly, before doing the only thing he knew to do. Pulling Na into an embrace, he stroked her hair as she calmed down, as the wails became sobs, became sniffs. Even then he didn't let go, but spoke to her as she clung to him.

"I do know what it feels like. In Xia Kou, when that soldier got you... I had to keep fighting when all I could think of was you... I suppose it helped, in a way - I was so angry, I just wanted revenge for you - but after, before you woke up again; and then when the poison kicked in... I don't know how or why, but when I was at the party, I just suddenly _knew_ that something was wrong. Something bad. It was me who discovered you were ill. Xun and Shang Xiang helped, but all I could think of was how it was my fault you got hurt in the first place. So yes, I think I know what you went through." he said quietly.

"And what about Xun and Shang Xiang? They weren't even fighting. Do you reckon they know we've been kidnapped?" asked Na in a quiet voice.

"It's been, what, 50 hours since we got captured? They'll definitely know by now."

They finally broke apart, and leaned against the wall in deep thought, wondering what their lovers were doing at that moment.

* * *

"...And that's all you're going to do? Well, I don't care about the danger! If none of you are going to do anything about it, I'll go after them myself!" 

"Shang, please-"

"No, Quan! It's already been three days, and all we've done is sit around and discuss it! Well, I'm going to find them!"

The tent flap was flung back as Shang Xiang stormed from the tent, tears beginning to run down her face. Inside the tent, Xun sighed, and left after Shang. He had said next to nothing on the matter - he hadn't really needed to, Shang had said it all - but he knew he was the only other person in the tent who knew exactly what she was going through.

He wandered through the camp to the little copse at the end of it, and from there it was the work of a minute to find the tree Shang Xiang was up, now sobbing gently into her hands.

"Just go away, will you?" she managed to get out in between sobs.

"It's me, Shang." he replied, shinning up the tree to join her.

"I'm not going to be talked out of going." she said, sniffing.

"I'm not here to talk you out of it." he said quietly as he settled down on the next branch up from the sobbing princess. "I'm here to say that if you go, I go. And I'm not letting you tell me I can't go."

Shang Xiang smiled gratefully.

"Thanks." she said quietly.

"But it will be dangerous, just the two of us going in..."

"I know, Xun, but I just can't bear to think of what might be happening to them for every minute longer we leave them there!" she wailed.

"I can't either, but we have to be sensible about this. It's no use to them if we get ourselves captured or killed trying to rescue them, is it?"

"Well then, what do you suggest we do?"

* * *

"What about the door?" 

"I tried kicking it a few times, but I think it's made of steel or something..."

Sying rolled up his sleeves. His Dragon Staff had been taken when he was knocked out, but he would just have to do without it.

"Stand back, Na," he said, as he began to concentrate. The element of fire was there somewhere... all he had to do was connect with it...

"Wait, Sying!"

...He paid no attention to his sister, this needed all his concentration... the connection was almost within his reach...

"Sying!"

... He grasped it, and felt the power flooding back into his limbs - oh, how he had missed this - and redirected it all towards the door...

And woke up, flat on his back and with some minor burns, to see Na kneeling over him.

"I tried to tell you, when they took me, they told me that they had made their sourcerers put an anti-magic field on it, or something like that." she said, shakily.

Sying strugged into a seating position.

"How long was I out for this time?" he asked.

"About 10 minutes." she replied, as she helped him up. "It's no use. We're stuck in here until we get let out." Na sighed in frustration.

"Don't say that, Na! Never give up hope! We will get out of here, and we will do it alive!"

"I hope so, Sying..." she trailed off as she heard something. "They're coming back for us."

"Well, then, here's a chance to escape. If we just..."

* * *

"Wonder if that boy has woken up yet?" 

"I hope so," said the younger prison guard, cracking his knuckles menacingly.

The older guard cuffed his head.

"What have I told you about doing that?" he said.

The younger man rubbed the back of his head.

"Sorry."

They reached the door they had been told to find, and the older man reached into his pocket for the keys. When the door was unlocked, the men went in.

"Now!"

The younger guard cried out as he was born down under the weight of Sying, but the older man ducked under Na's foot, and almost without thinking, brought his fist around in a big swerve that ended with Sying's head, before grabbing Na before she could try anything else. The younger guard scrambled up, and grabbed Sying before he could come back to his senses.

As they were marched down the corridor, Na struggled against the hold of the guard, desperately trying to escape from his grip, but the man was too strong, and she soon gave up.

They walked in silence through a network of corridors, before finally arriving at a room that was bare apart from a couple of chairs. The twins were forced into them, and were gagged and secured to the chairs. Then, the guards disappeared behind them. Nothing happened for a few mintes, then someone else entered.

"Well, well, what a suprise. now the both of you are awake, we can _really_ have some fun."

The twins stared in horror as Cai Mao stood in front of them, smirking obscenely.

"I think it's time some well earned revenge was paid out..."

* * *

"Are we ready, then?" 

"More or less." replied Xun as he swung himself up onto his horse. "The rest of the generals think we're in our tents, and Ling Tong and Xiao Qiao are going to cover for us. Are you ready?"

"As I ever will be." replied Shang Xiang from atop her horse.

"Then let's not waste any more time. I'm pretty certain that they're being held at the Wei fortress just the other side of our territory. If it's just for reasons of revenge, which I'm pretty certain it is, they won't bother going far, but it does mean..." he broke off, and swallowed. "Just brace yourself for what we find." he said.

Shang Xiang glanced at him for a second. The Lu Xun she saw was a very different one to the one that afternoon they had played Go in the palace gardens. This man, while still slender, with a hint of muscles, had been affected by the five days worry and stress, and now seemed much gaunter, more tired, older. There was a subtle change in his stance that suggested he was on the edge of a breakdown. While she had made sure everone in a 50 metre radius of her knew what she was feeling, Xun had withdrawn more and more, not wanting his feelings to show. Even so, Shang Xiang was glad of his presence.

They urged their horses into a gentle tot, until they were well clear of the circle of light provided by the camp, before galloping off into the dark.The land they raced over together was mostly uninhabited, people prefering to live in the bigger cities, but even so they still passed enough houses and farms for a small village to be formed.

Eventually, after nearly an hour of hard riding, a dark shape loomed up out of the far distance. The two of them began to slow down - now came the hard bit. Trotting their horses over to a well sheltered copse of trees, they slipped off them, and tied them securely to a couple of sturdy trees, before taking their weapons from their sheaths, and creeping through the shrubbery towards the large and threatening building.

By sheer luck, they managed to reach the shadow of the building without being seen, and, pressing themselves up against the wall as they listened to see if anyone had noticed them. When they were certain they were unexpected, they crept off along the side of the building, still keeping to the shadows and listening intently They came to a corner, and, peering around it, they saw the entrance, and immediately knew Xun's hunch of where the twins were was right.

Outside of the gates, two sets of weapons stood, as a visual sign of who was being held captive inside the fort. These weapons, however, had been presented with more than the usual amount of grandeur - Cao Cao was obviously delighted to have those prisoners. Even from a distance, Shang Xiang and Xun could make out that they were the Twin Wonders and the Dragon Staff. Shang Xiang glanced at Xun, and saw the same feelings she was experiencing flashing through his mind.

Creeping around the corner, but still pressing up against the building, they slipped up to the entrance, grabbing the weapons before creeping through the large double doors, and were immediately faced with a maze of corridors. The building seemed to be a lot bigger on the inside than the outside. On the basis that they had to start somewhere, they crept down a corridor to their right, all their senses painfully acute. If they could help it, they would be in, get the twins, and be gone - if they could help it, they didn't want to alert everyone on the building of them being there.

All the corridors they crept down wrere deserted. It was beginning to worry Xun, but he pushed on, anyway. Somewhere, Na and Sying were being held. He just hoped they weren't too late.

* * *

Sying awoke with a start, and lay where he was, desperately trying to work out what it was that had awoken him. He was almost about to dismiss it, when he heard a slight creak from down the other end of the corridor where they were being held. Pushing himself into a seating position, with some difficulty and grimacing at the pain, he looked over at his sister, who was lying a few feet away, with her eyes wide open. 

"You heard it too?" he whispered. Na nodded in reply.

After some effort, and lots of grimacing, both the twins were upright, still listening intently to the series of small creaks that was progressing slowly towards their door. Sying crept as quickly as he dared over to the door, where a small metal grill allowed for vision, and peered into the corridor. He scanned the dark hallway, untiil he spotted who it was, and was forced to take a double-take.

"Sh - Shang Xiang? Xun? What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice tinged with delight and confusion. Na stared at the door, her mouth slightly open, as a voice she knew very well replied.

"What do you think? Getting you out of here!"

Na ran as best as she could over to the door, just in time to see Shang Xiang take a small length of wire from her pocket, and insert it into the hole. After a few tense seconds, the lock clicked, and the heavy door swung inwards, revealing the twins in all their bloody glory.

Shang Xiang gaped at them, as Xun's jaw moved subtly enough to indicate a huge amount of rage at the person responsible. Their hair was matted with blood, and there were several deep gashes showing through their torn and ragged clothes. They looked seconds from collapse.

"We're fine. Let's just get out of here." Sying said, in a slightly strained voice.

"Oh, that reminds me - you may want these." said Shang Xiang, pulling out the Dragon Staff, and throwing it to Sying, as Xun produced the Twin Wonders and handed them to Na.

"They were outside. Obviously Cao Cao wanted the world to know he had you two." Xun said.

The twins quickly inspected their weapons, before nodding to the other two, and following them out of the dreadful cell where they had been held captive for the best part of four days.

The twins limped on ahead, determined to leave. They rounded the first corner -

"Going so soon? But we were going to have so much fun..." came a voice. The two pairs backed towards each other as more and more soldiers appeared, slowly sealing off their escape route, before Cai Mao emerged from the shadows, smirking maliciously.

"We can't be having that, now..."

* * *

**A/N: **Yeah, I suck. But I can't be bothered writing any more. Oh, fine, I'll make an effort: Oh, deary me, they seem to be in a bit of a tight spot GIVE ME FIVE REVIEWS OR I WON'T POST THE NEXT CHAPTER. There. Think that'll do it, don't you?

* * *


	12. Lucky Escapes

**A/N: **I can't be bothered to think of anything witty. Apart from Woohoo! Over 1000 views! Thank you, people, I feel slightly popular... And yes, I am aware that I'm repeating the last line of the last chapter, but that's just so it flows better.

**Disclaimer:** See Authors Notes. Also, I own nothing except Na Mei, Sying Long, and the incredibly random plot.

* * *

"We can't be having that, now..." Mao paused, smirking. "On the other hand, if you're certain..." He turned to the head soldier. "Kill them. Make sure none of them leave here alive." 

Na and Sying shared a look of dull terror. They were hungry, tired, in pain... they could barely find the energy to stand, and now they had to fight? It was almost too much. Na looked back at the approaching soldiers in exasperation. She couldn't do it...

Xun glanced at Na, and saw the bitter signs of resignation in her stance. Shifting his weapon slightly, he reached back until he found her hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze. Although he was still watching the soldiers, he knew her stance had changed, just slightly, but enough to hint at some hope.

The first group of soldiers charged them, and were quickly dealt with with a boomerang throw from Shang Xiang's chakrams. However, even as they crumpled to the ground, there were more and more and more coursing towards them. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. They were surrounded, and in a situation that was looking worse and worse with each soldier that was coursing towards them.

Xun was the first to charge the oncoming army, closely followed by Shang Xiang. Slashing at the nearest soldiers, Xun managed to create a big enough space for him to do a couple of somersaults, incapitating several people in the process, only to have the spaces where they were filled almost immediately. He gritted his teeth, and took out the two soldiers that were nearest him.

On the other side of the square, Shang Xiang was also slashing away at the hapless soldiers. Both Shang Xiang and Xun were careful to stay close to each other, and the twins. Sying had retreated behind Shang Xiang, and was mumbling feverishly, making vague symbols with his hands. He hadn't summoned up this element in a long time...

Only Na hadn't moved. She stood, looking wearily around herself, not quite sure what to do - which meant that she was the first to spot them.

"Archers?" she said to herself. Xun, who had cleared a wide enough space around him to not worry about the soldiers for a minute, glanced at her, before one of the braver soldiers charged him, closely followed by several others. Na limped over to help him beat them off, picking off the soldiers that had crept around behind him.

"Hurry up, already, Sying..." Shang Xiang muttered through gritted teeth as she fought to escape the weapon deadlock she was in. Sying traced a complicated symbol in the air, in which his hands seemed in some undefinable way to pass through each other, gripped his staff, and sent a pure wave of ice energy through the corridor they were in.

Shang Xiang sighed in relief as the soldiers that were surrounding her froze in their tracks.

"Thanks, Sying..." she breathed. Xun and Na said nothing, only working in silent determination to pick off the soldiers still surrounding them. Sying tossed a matted lock off his face, and pulled his sword out of the staff.

Na glanced up to see Sying striding purposefully towards the soldiers that were closest to him. They had only seconds before the soldiers thawed out - seconds to tip the balance between escaping and -

"Ah!"

Na whipped around as Xun collapsed, an arrow buried deep in his shoulder. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Shang Xiang and Sying turn. Although Sying's ice wave had instantly frozen everyone in the corridor, that didn't include the archers, who were stood in the hall at the other end of the walkway. All of Na's hope drained away as she watched the young strategist drop to his knees and grab his shoulder.

"Na!"

Na turned, and brought her weapon up just in time to block the clumsy overhead strike from the soldier behind her. Brilliant. Just flipping _brilliant_. On top of absolutely everything else, the soldiers had unfrozen. A burning rage began to bubble in her stomach, and as the soldiers sword rebounded, she slashed at his neck with her weapon, but even before he realised he was dead, she had killed the three guards standing next to him, as well. The bodies crumpled, but Na took no notice, continuing to slash and stab at the remaining soldiers.

Xun gritted his teeth as pain coursed through his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Na attacking the soldiers - _defending him - _but he knew that Na was exhausted. Sooner or later, a soldier would catch her off guard, and injure her... Red hot rage began to burn at the thought. The pain, while still very much there, vanished. Reaching with the hand gripping his shoulder, he grabbed hold of the arrow, and pulled it out of his shoulder. Ignoring the fresh wave of pain, he flung the arrow to the ground, and pulled himself to his feet.

Most of the soldiers were concentrated around Na, Sying, and Shang Xiang, but a few noticed him stand up, and ran at him. Without thinking, he sent a ball of pure fire energy in their direction, and ran off to help Na. Just as he reached her, the fireball exploded. All the soldiers near it were killed instantly, and, suddenly, there were a lot less soldiers around. Bodies littered the ground. The archers had vanished - they'd probably ran when they realised they would lose. Only the new recruits, who wouldn't know when it was time to leave if it was written on their eyeballs, stayed.

Somehow, Na and Xun had ended up back to back. There were only around 20 soldiers left surrounding them. Na darted forward, and incapitated several of them, as Xun killed the soldiers that had ran behind her. He turned to his side, and brought his good arm around in a slash that ended with several more collapsing on the ground. Turning back to where the other soldiers had been, he saw them vanishing around the corner. Looking around, he could see that only he, Na, Sying, and Shang Xiang were left.

He blinked. The rage had burnt out, leaving him feeling slightly light-headed. He was also becoming aware of his arm becoming damp. A dribble of warm liquid ran down onto his hand. Raising it to his face, he saw that it looked suspiciously like blood.

"Xun?"

He looked up to see Na watching him, concern etched on her face. A dull ache had settled in his shoulder. Swaying slightly, he raising his other hand and touched the sodden material on his shoulder. He raised his hand to his face, and looked at it. It was slicked with blood - his blood.

"Oh," he said, before his knees buckled, and the encroaching darkness swallowed him.

* * *

"Xun!" Tears began to spill down Na's face as she ran over to Xun. Sying carefully sheathed his weapon, before walking over to where Na was kneeling, and placing his arm around her shaking shoulders. In the corner of his sight, he could see Shang Xiang inspecting Xun's injury. 

"It looks like he lost a lot of blood... The sooner we can get him to a medic, the better..." she said out loud.

"First we need to get out of here alive." said Sying flatly. He felt drained, both physically, and emotionally. Na's shoulders began to stop shaking. Wiping her face on her sleeve, she looked up. Just for a second, Sying saw her face. There was a glint in her eye that he had never seen before.

"I know the way out." she said, between sniffs, as she stood up. "Shang Xiang, give me a hand with Xun. Sying, grab his weapons."

There was no denying that tone of voice. As the women eased Xun onto their shoulders, Na spoke again.

"Did you come on horses?"

"Yeah - they should be able to carry the four of us." Shang Xiang replied.

"Good. Now let's get out of this sordid place." Na said, shortly. Sying glanced at Shang Xiang worriedly. The new Na was scarily emotionless and distant, but this was no place to object to it. As they hurried through a maze of corridors, they saw no one, but Sying still didn't let down his guard until they were out of there, and untying the horses from their trees. Na swung herself into the saddle of Xun's horse, and helped Shang Xiang place Xun in front of her on the horse. Sying climbed up onto Shang Xiang's horse, and waited for her to join him.

"Let's go." Na said.

They urged the horses in the direction of the Wu camp, and rode off. Sying's mind was a blissful blank as he clung on to Shang Xiang's waist. Weariness was beginning to grip him - it was all he could do to stay awake.

They arrived back at Wu's camp a little over 80 minutes later - with Xun's injury, they couldn't ride as fast as they would like to have done. Slipping through a copse of trees, they rode straight to the medic.

Sying's head jerked up as the horse came to a stop. Shang Xiang jumped down immediately to help Na with Xun, which left him to more or less fall off the horse, and stumble into the tent.

The medic looked up from changing an unlucky soldier's dressing, and gasped as she recognised the unconscious figure. Xun was as pale as a sheet, and his injury was caked in dried blood. As Na and Shang Xiang laid Xun on a spare bed, Sying stumbled in. Shang Xiang turned in time to see Sying trip, and caught him before he fell.

"I'd better get Sying to his tent - are you staying here, Na?" she asked softly. Na simply nodded in reply. Shang Xiang sighed, placed Sying's arm around her neck, and helped him to his tent. Sying blearily looked up at her before focusing on his feet again. He was gently lead to a tent that looked vaguely familiar, but before he could work out what was happening, the weariness pulled him down into blissful sleep.

* * *

Somebody was talking, a long way away. The words were all muffled, but the voice seemed strangely familiar. Another voice joined in. This one was familiar, too, but who knew where from. The voices were slowly becoming clearer. Every now and then, a word could be made out. Like, 'and' was a popular one. And 'he'. And, for some reason, 'how'. And then, clearer than the rest, a name. 

"Xun!"

Yeah, that's right. That's me. Why are they talking about me?

A sudden stab of pain in his shoulder made Xun groan softly. The voices stopped. And a train of memory crashed into his forebrain.

"Xun, can you hear me?" asked the second voice. _Na's_ voice. Na was there?

Xun opened his eyes, and blinked at the ceiling a few times before focusing on Na. She looked... worried, yet relieved.

"How do you feel?" she asked gently.

"Like someone hit me over the head." he said, before wincing at another stab of pain from his shoulder. "Before stabbing me in the shoulder." Na smiled slightly, as Xun looked around the room. "How did I get here, anyway? I thought we were still camped near Chi Bi."

"As soon as you were well enough, we moved back to the palace. They could look after you better here."

"What - how long was I out for?" he asked, confusedly.

Na hesitated before replying.

"... Six days..." she said, quietly.

"I was really hit that badly?" he asked in dismay, raising his hand to his forehead.

"It - it wasn't so much that... it was more the time it took to get you to a medic from that awful place..."

Xun stared into Na's eyes. The fact that one was blue while the other was brown had long ago ceased to amaze him, and all he saw was the emotional turmoil Na had suffered over the last five days. Although her clothes were washed and mended, although her wounds had been treated, and had started healing, although her hair was now clean and combed, he just knew that she had never left his side throughout his recovery.

"Thank you, Na." he said softly.

"Don't thank me. It's my fault you got injured, anyway. If Cao Cao hadn't captured us, you wouldn't have had to come rescue us. This could all have been avoided if we had stuck to the plan and not rushed on ahead." she said flatly.

"It's not your fault. Did you ask Cao Cao to capture you? Did you ask Cai Mao to set archers on us, so I would get hit? You saved my life just by being there."

"But I endangered it when you came for me!" Na burst out. Tears began to course down her face as all the worry took its toll, and she knelt down next to the bed, burying her head in the bedsheets. Xun gently stroked her hair as he spoke.

"I would have endangered it anyway, if I could stop you from getting hurt. It doesn't matter that I nearly died, as long as you're alright. I would rather be killed to keep you safe than sit around, doing nothing. But... I'm sorry, as well. If I had been keeping my guard up, the arrow wouldn't have hit me, and you wouldn't have had to go through all that worry."

Na looked up, with eyes that were still shining with tears.

"I don't deserve you, do you know that?" she said, blinking to get rid of the tears.

"_I_ don't deserve _you_." he replied, smiling as he took her hand.

"Xun! You - you're awake!"

Xun looked up to see Shang Xiang coming into the room, closely followed by Sying. Just like Na, his injuries had begun to heal, his clothes had been cleaned and mended, and he had washed his hair. However, while Na still looked quite tired, Sying looked wide awake.

"You took your time waking up!" Shang Xiang told him.

"Sorry," Xun replied, smiling. "It's one of those things you can't help."

"For a while, we thought you weren't going to make it. Even the medic was unsure." Sying said. "But Na was sure you were going to survive. She never left your side, not once."

Xun smiled at Na.

"Oh, that reminds me, Quan wanted to know when you woke up." Shang Xiang interrupted. Xun's smile slipped down a notch.

"Why?"

"I'm not sure. At first, I think he was more angry than worried, but when you didn't wake up..." Shang Xiang paused, before finishing. "I don't know."

Xun fell into a thoughtful silence, only looking up when a gong reverbrated around the castle.

"Was that the dinner gong?" he asked, suddenly aware of how hungry he was.

"Yeah. I'll go down to the kitchens and ask them for some food up here." said Shang, as she walked to the doorway.

"Are you lot going to eat in here, too?" asked Xun.

"Well, we can hardly leave you alone to eat after you just woken up from a serious arrow wound, can we?" said Na.

"Besides, we've got a lot to talk about. You have been out of it for 6 days, after all." added Sying.

"Plus, do you honestly think you can feed yourself when you can hardly move your arm?" Shang Xiang said, as she left the room. "Back in ten minutes!"

"Why am I beginning to get the feeling I don't have a say in this?" Xun asked, as Na and Sying helped him into a sitting position.

"Because you don't." Na replied, smiling. "And because the medic was very clear that you were to rest up as much as possible, and keep your arm totally immobile. The arrow really messed up your shoulder."

"But probably not as much as you did when you ripped it out and carried on fighting. By the way, that was a nice fireball you sent out."

Xun shrugged his good shoulder.

"Fire just comes naturally to me." he said, but not without Na noticing the subtle signals of memory.

Sying nodded.

"Think I'll go and see if Shang Xiang needs a hand in the kitchens." he said, before wandering out of the room.

Xun watched him go.

"I spend a decade avoiding fire, then it turns out to be my natural element." he said, before laughing bitterly, after Sying had gone.

"At least your history is still covered." Na said, quietly.

"And I end up with a matching shoulder scar."

"Don't talk like that!" Na said, taking his hand. "You have to be positive. Please. Your history - that's all it is. History. You can't change it, but it can change you. I know it's hard. My earliest memory - I'm not even sure if it was a dream or not - all it was, was pain, and fear, and darkness. But I let it go. I was positive, and look where I am now. Please, just try - for me, if nothing else."

Xun sighed, staring at his feet.

"I am trying. But it's so damn hard! Your memory - you're not even sure if it was real. But my history is the only thing I'm ever sure of. I thought all the pain, and uncertainty, and fear, was buried and left behind, but it's always with me, and always will be." He sighed again, and shifted his gaze to the wall. "And my arm is going to take well over a year to heal fully. And it'll be over a year of anger, and frustration, and pain. I don't want you to suffer that." He looked into Na's eyes. "It's going to be a long, and hard, and frustrating year. And I don't want to lose you over it."

Na leaned over, and kissed him gently on the lips.

"I'm not going anywhere without you. Face it, you're stuck with me, like it or not." she said, grinning. Xun grinned back.

"I like it." he said, before kissing her again.

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry if it's kinda crappy, it was absolutely perfect the first time I typed it up, but then Fanfiction didn't save it. There we go, a nice corny ending for you soppy people out there. Sorry for the extreme OOCness I've just realised is happening... A bit of LXOC there. No, forget a bit, make it a LOT of LXOC, and a bit of SSXOC. Don't ask about the whole Xunnie vs. the arrow thing... Oh, and when Xun wakes up, the first voice is the medic or someone, and she goes away before he groans or... something... oh, just go away. BUT REVIEW FIRST! Is it really that hard to click the little button and leave a little comment on said crappyness or boringness, or other things? Is it? 


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